TENNESSEE

No end in sight as forest fires rage in East Tennessee

Steve Ahillen
steve.ahillen@knoxnews.com

East Tennesseans once again woke to a dense cover of smoke Monday morning as forest fires continue throughout the area.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said the situation is not expected to change soon.

"Unfortunately, conditions aren't expected to change today," said Elyse Hagner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Morristown. "We could get a little directional wind in the evening that could help a little with that. Tomorrow, winds could pick up a little more - not significantly but enough that it might stir up the smoke a little more and clear things."

Rain was not in the forecast Monday, which means no help for the hundreds of firefighters, some from as far as Idaho and Florida, who are helping to fight blazes from Chattanooga to Kingsport in Tennessee as well as Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky.

“It looks pretty dry this upcoming week," Hagner said. "It does look like Friday or Saturday there will be a cold front moving through, but it doesn’t look like rain associated with it at this point."

She said temperatures should drop to highs in the 50s by Sunday and lows could get down in the 20s.

The Knox County Health Department said air conditions are on the verge of again reaching a "code red," meaning air quality has reached the "Unhealthy" level, which, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation website, indicates "everyone may begin to experience health effects." The air quality was a code red early this past week.

Monday forecast: Air quality alert in effect amid smoky conditions

Lynne Liddington, Air Quality Department head at the Knox County Health Department, said getting the smoke out will take time.

“When things blow into the valley, it takes a lot to blow them back out. We need wind. We need rain,” she said.

The fires, some burning for more than a month, have been hard to put out because of the dry conditions and the autumn leaf fall that has firefighters continuously rechecking their fire break lines.

East Tennessee Children's Hospital has noticed increased visits to the emergency room by children with respiratory problems.

"We are seeing quite a few children with respiratory problems," said Erica Estep, hospital spokeswoman. "Quite a few with asthma are coming in that personnel in ER believe is coming from the smoke that is exacerbating symptoms."

A fire on Neddy Mountain just east of Newport in Cocke County has grown to 425 acres. Part of U.S. 25 has been closed so that firefighters can start a back fire, said Nathan Waters, assistant forester at the East Tennessee District of the state Division of Forestry. The fire began up on the mountain but has spread into the valley.

Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Nagi tweeted Monday morning that traffic going toward North Carolina is being detoured from U.S. Highway 321 to state Route 340. Traffic coming from North Carolina will take state Route 340 to U.S. 321.

Firefighters will light a back burn fire to collide with the original fire and cut off its fuel.

A C-130 tanker plane dumped 2,000-gallon loads of slurry on the fire Saturday and Sunday. Two homes were evacuated Saturday.

Burning has been banned in most public lands in East Tennessee. Since Saturday the Citico Creek Wilderness area in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness of Cherokee National Forest has been closed.

Terry McDonald of the U.S. Forest Service office in Cleveland, Tenn., said this is a cautionary measure because of fires burning in North Carolina that have the potential to spread.

The Southern Area Coordination Center website has a listing of fires throughout the Southeast and the crews and equipment from throughout the country being deployed to fight them.

The moon, which shone with a historic brightness Sunday night, appeared yellow in the sky - a normal occurrence for a harvest moon but also likely influenced by the smoky haze above us.

Firefighters are still monitoring a quarter-acre fire near the summit of Chimney Tops Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trails are expected to remain closed there through Tuesday.

Wildfire closes Great Smoky Mountains park trails

You can see the state of the fires and get air quality reports for your zip code by using the interactive map here.

A C-130 tanker plane dumps slurry on a fire on Neddy Mountain in Cocke County

IN NEIGHBORING NORTH CAROLINA

In North Carolina, Chimney Rock remains evacuated and a portion of U.S. 64-74-A remains closed as firefighters battle a blaze that has grown to more than 3,400 acres.

The Party Rock fire is one of at least 15 major fires burning thousands of acres across western North Carolina, fueled by dry conditions. The largest fire is the Tellico fire, which has burned more than 13,760 acres, according to the latest report.

“Right now, we are estimating it (the Party Rock fire) at 15 percent contained,” said Carrie Harmon, public information officer at the Party Rock fire.

Officials estimate that more than 1,000 people have evacuated between the Rumbling Bald Resort, Chimney Rock, portions of Bat Cave and other areas surrounding the fire, Harmon said. She said that number is a “gross estimate.”

Shelters are open at the Green Hill Baptist Church in Rutherford County and at Bat Cave Baptist Church in Henderson County.

Firefighters are dealing with a “perfect storm” of conditions, Harmon said.

Severe drought, steep terrain and high winds have fueled the fires.

Heavy smoke that has covered the area, including areas of Buncombe County, has prevented firefighters from using planes or helicopters to battle the blaze.

Harmon said firefighters were expecting winds to pick up a bit Monday and humidity to drop. The lower humidity should help clear out some of the smoke, but it won’t help the fire, she said.

Brian Haines, public information officer for the North Carolina Forest Service, said what little moisture firefighters are getting brings wind that is not helping firefighters.

Firefighters from 21 states are working to contain the fires, according to Haines.

In Graham County, more than 400 people are working to contain two fires. The Maple Springs fire has burned 7,177 acres and the Old Roughy fire has burned 657. Maple Springs is 15 percent contained and Old Roughy is about 60 percent contained, according to Brian Scott, public information officer on that fire.

Scott said there were some evacuations and roads closed, but officials may start allowing people to go back to their homes.

Julie Ball of the Asheville Citizen-Times contributed to this report.

Related: