The 2016 Great Smoky Mountains Wildfire¶
Known regionally as the Gatlinburg Wildfires and in the National Interagency Fire Center records as Chimney Tops 2¶
The 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires were a complex of wildfires which began in late November 2016. Some of the towns most impacted were Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, both near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
By December 12, the fires had burned more than 10,000 acres inside the national park, and 6,000 acres in surrounding areas. 14 people were killed, 190 injured and at least 14,000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate. Over 2,000 buildings were damaged and/or destroyed resulting in more than $2 billion in damages.
One of the largest wildfires was the Chimney Tops 2 Fire, which burned more than 10,000 acres, and is the focus of this study.
Vegetation nearly recovered within four years after the Chimney Top 2 fire¶
Summer NDVI dropped by 0.1 inside the boundary post-fire, and it has not yet
returned to its pre-fire levels.