TENNESSEE

What's new in the Gatlinburg wildfire disaster

Travis Dorman
travis.dorman@knoxnews.com

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the first name of Marilyn Tegler.

Tennessee's monthslong drought and wildfire emergency culminated on Nov. 28 when hurricane-force winds sent unpredictable fires racing through the Gatlinburg area and beyond.

DO NOT USE THIS PHOTO....MARCIA member of the Gatlinburg Fire Department battles a fire at a building at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016.

As firefighters work to extinguish the remainder of the blazes, authorities work to evaluate the damage done. Here is the latest information.

  • At least 14 people were killed, 12 of which had been identified by authorities as of Sunday evening.
  • Those identified include Bradley Phillips, 59; the Rev. Edward Taylor, 85; Constance Reed, 34, and her daughters, Chloe, 12, and Lily, 9. Alice Hagler, who had gone missing from Chalet Village, was found in that neighborhood along with Memphis couple Jon and Janet Summers, both 61, and Canadian vacationers John Tegler, 71, and Marilyn Tegler, 70. May Vance died of a heart attack due to smoke inhalation while fleeing the fire. Elaine Brown, 81, of Sevierville, "sustained a medical event causing a multi-motor vehicle accident" on Wears Valley Road while fleeing the fire, authorities said.
  • Officials now estimate 1,684 homes, businesses and other structures were damaged or destroyed by the firestorm.
  • At least 134 people have been treated for fire-related injuries.
  • Sevier County officials have said they never issued a mobile evacuation alert ahead of the wildfire, citing communication failure due to weather disruption.
  • Around an inch of rain fell on the mountains on Sunday, helping suppress the remaining fires. While strong winds were forecast at high altitudes, meteorologists said they rarely exceeded 35 mph, and the rain prevented the wind from being too detrimental for firefighters. More rain is forecast for Monday evening.  
  • Around 14,000 people evacuated Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
  • Authorities have not provided a list of those still missing, but a hotline manned by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND has helped agents track more than 150 leads. This number does not necessarily correspond to the number of people missing. Click here for a running list of the missing.
  • As of Sunday morning, the size of the Chimney Tops fire was 17,006 acres, and it was listed as 38 percent contained. The size of the Cobbly Nob fire was 803 acres, and it was listed as 41 percent contained.