Tag: Wildfires

The Gatlinburg Fire Of 2016, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, a wildfire in 2016 escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It killed 14 people, injured dozens more and destroyed parts of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We talk with an investigative journalist who has new information on the incident. Also, four decades ago rice seeds from Laos crossed the ocean to California and made their way to a family of Hmong farmers in North Carolina. And the Appalachian trail has been exhaustively hiked, explored and written about, but it’s still got a few secrets left.

In 2016, a wildfire escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It killed 14 people, injured dozens more and destroyed parts of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We talk with an investigative journalist who has new information on the incident.

Also, four decades ago rice seeds from Laos crossed the ocean to California and made their way to a family of Hmong farmers in North Carolina.

And the Appalachian trail has been exhaustively hiked, explored and written about, but it’s still got a few secrets left.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Investigating The Gatlinburg Fire Of 2016

In 2016, a wildfire at Chimney Tops in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee spread beyond the park boundaries into the nearby tourist towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. At least 14 people were killed. Many more were injured and thousands of residents and tourists had to be evacuated. 

A new investigation revealed that National Park Service officials underestimated the severity of the wildfire and were slow to alert Tennessee officials about the danger.

Tyler Whetstone, an investigative reporter, spoke with Mason Adams about his reporting.

The Sweet Sticky Rice Of Western North Carolina

Tou Lee holds sweet sticky rice stalks in his rice field in Morganton, North Carolina.

Credit: Rachel Moore/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

When you think of rice, you might not think of Western North Carolina. But the area is home to several varieties of heirloom rice that made their way here from Laos nearly five decades ago. The rice was carried and cultivated by Hmong refugees.

One family now sells their rice at markets and to restaurants, and they’ve built a passionate following.

Folkways Reporter Rachel Moore has this story.

Save The Salamanders!

The West Virginia spring salamander.

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey

Have you ever heard of a West Virginia spring salamander? They’re a species found in the General Davis Cave in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, but there are only a few hundred left. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to put the West Virginia spring salamander on the endangered species list.

WVPB’s Curtis Tate spoke with Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

An Appalachian Trail Mystery

The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1927. For 25 years, hikers took to the trail and traveled along the mountains from Georgia to Maine, but then the trail was moved. And the old trail was nearly forgotten. 

Historian and podcaster Mills Kelly discovered the lost trail and wrote about it in his new book, Virginia’s Lost Appalachian Trail.

WMRA’s Chris Boros speaks to Kelly about rediscovering the trail. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by David Mayfield, Chris Knight, John Blissard, John Inghram, Eric Vincent Huey and Steve Earle.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

New Information On 2016 Great Smoky Mountains Wildfire And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, a wildfire in 2016 escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and made it as far as Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with investigative reporter Tyler Whetstone about new information he’s helped bring to light about the fires.

On this West Virginia Morning, a wildfire in 2016 escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and made it as far as Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with investigative reporter Tyler Whetstone about new information he’s helped bring to light about the fires.

Also, in this show, our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes to us from Americana Tex-Mex, indie rock group Calexico, who made their fourth appearance on the show. We listen to their performance of “Cumbia de Donde,” from their album Edge of the Sun.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Our Appalachia Health News project is made possible with support from CAMC and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director and producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Rainfall Quells Major Fires Throughout W.Va.

Major decreases in active fires are largely due to the half inch of rain statewide. The National Weather Service said another quarter to half inch of rain is on the way.

Major decreases in active fires are largely due to the half inch of rain statewide. The National Weather Service said another quarter to half inch of rain is on the way.

Jeremy Jones, state forester, said the state is closing in on 100 percent containment with all fires. 

“Thanks to the nice rain that pretty much covered the entire state today, or will cover as we get into this evening hours,” Jones said. “All of the fires in West Virginia that are under state jurisdiction are under control.”

There will be another dry weather pattern over the Thanksgiving holiday and through the weekend that could yield more smoke from the larger fires in the state like the Coal Fork Fire, the Left Fork of Long Bottom Creek Fire or the Steep Valley Fire. 

“Some of those larger fires, folks may see some smoking coming off of them. But we will be back in there, monitoring them and making sure that they stay within our containment lines,” Jones said. 

However, the over 11,000-acre Matts Creek Fire in Virginia could bring smoke to southern and central West Virginia through the weekend. The Matts Creek Fire is still only less than 33 percent contained. 

“I think the whole eastern southeastern corner of the state got smoke from that large fire yesterday. Hopefully this rain eliminates that problem going forward,” Jones said.

Dementia And The Holidays, Hope For Opioid Settlement Money And Concerning Health Trends, This West Virginia Week 

On this West Virginia Week, we hear about some of the health challenges facing West Virginians — including lung disease, HIV/AIDS outbreaks and recovery.

On this West Virginia Week, we hear about some of the health challenges facing West Virginians — including lung disease, HIV/AIDS outbreaks and recovery.

We also learn how to meet the challenges of the holidays with aging family members.

Chris Schulz is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Caroline MacGregor, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

West Virginia Foresters Receive Funds For Fire Fighting Equipment

Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 1032 into law Monday at the West Virginia Division of Forestry Region 4 headquarters in Beckley. The law will provide $4 million for new forestry wildland firefighting equipment.

Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 1032 into law Monday at the West Virginia Division of Forestry Region 4 headquarters in Beckley. The law will provide $4 million for new forestry wildland firefighting equipment.

The department lost funding in 2019 when the West Virginia Legislature cut severance tax collection on state timber. Assistant State Forester Jeremy Jones said state of the art fire suppression gear will help counter an ever-growing wildfire danger.

“This historic investment will provide severely needed modernization to our wildfire program and our equipment,” Jones said.

Justice also announced that Forestry’s Region 4 headquarters will be renamed in honor of Cody Mullens, a young forestry employee who was killed by a falling tree while fighting a wildland fire earlier this year and worked out of that office. 

Experts Advise Caution As Air Quality Changes

Though the National Weather Service has predicted a change in weather patterns dispersing visible smoke, air quality levels throughout much of West Virginia are still affected by Canadian wildfire smoke.

Though the National Weather Service has predicted a change in weather patterns dispersing visible smoke, air quality levels throughout much of West Virginia are still affected by Canadian wildfire smoke.

“We know that wildfires, unfortunately, are worse this year than they have ever been in Canada, earlier in the season, and the result of those wildfires is a lot of smoke, which is dependent on winds and other weather conditions,” said Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer at the American Lung Association.

Rizzo said high-risk groups should avoid spending time outdoors over the holiday weekend and keep their emergency medication with them.

“Everybody wants to be with their family, they want to participate in the events over the weekend,” Rizzo said. “But I think you need to be aware of the air quality. And certainly, if it’s up in the area where everybody gets affected, everybody needs to take those precautions with masks and try to minimize their exposure outside.”

Like the weather, air quality can change from hour to hour and Rizzo recommends checking AirNow.gov and the fire and smoke map before going outside

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

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