Wears Valley wildfire now 1,000 acres and 0% contained; mandatory evacuations issued
Mandatory evacuations have been issued in Wears Valley as crews work to contain a now 1,000-acre wildfire at the Hatcher Mountain Road and Indigo Lane area.
The fire remained 0% contained as of 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Sevier County Emergency Management Agency.
The EMA is ordering mandatory evacuations for those in the Wears Valley and Walden's Creek areas. The EMA created a dynamic map people can access and type their address into at this link, which will show if you are in the evacuation area.
As of 1 a.m. Thursday, the fire evacuation circle had been extended for the Dupont Area from South Rogers Road to the Blount County Line of Sevier County. It is unclear if this evacuation is for the same Wears Valley fire or a different one within the Wears Valley evacuation zone.
"If you are unsure if you are in this area, you should evacuate," the EMA said.
Knoxville Fire Department also sent two additional engine companies with eight firefighters to assist with the Sevier County wildfires. KFD also said they will help rotate members to allow firefighters time to rest.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/wildfire/wildfire-wears-valley-area/51-2e652577-8877-4d29-907f-3741f0c3955c
_______________________________________________________________________________
Some scary echoes of the 2016 Gatlinburg fires. High winds are making the fires spread rapidly.