Gatlinburg, Tenn. – As powerful winds howled through the Great Smoky Mountains, city officials in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, were on high alert Tuesday, working tirelessly to ensure visitors were informed of the significant fire risks posed by the high winds. With gusts nearing triple digits, the city had issued a burn ban for Sevier County and much of East Tennessee, heightening concerns over potential wildfires.
Seth Butler, the Director of Operations and Communications for the City of Gatlinburg, explained the city’s multifaceted approach to disseminating critical information to both residents and visitors. “We utilize a variety of communication channels, including our website, social media accounts, and even our city’s mobile app,” said Butler. “We also rely on push alerts, which we sent out earlier this morning when we issued the burn ban.”
Butler added that social media channels like Facebook, where the city, the police department, and fire department each maintain separate pages, are central to the city’s messaging. In addition, the city has an X (formerly Twitter) account to ensure a broad reach. Through these channels, residents and tourists alike were alerted to the risk of wildfires as conditions worsened throughout the day.
The use of IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) alerts, available since the 2016 wildfires, was another key tool in keeping the public informed. These alerts, which function similarly to AMBER Alerts, are sent directly to phones in a specific geographic area. “Whether it’s preemptive information or notifications during an event, we’ve used IPAWS to deliver critical updates during emergencies,” Butler said. “It’s been an invaluable tool for us.”
Despite the city’s efforts, some visitors felt they were not adequately informed. Nathan Goss, visiting from Kentucky, only learned of the burn ban and high fire danger after encountering a roadblock on Highway 441. “They had the road closed with police blocking it that said high wind danger and high fire danger,” Goss explained. “I didn’t know about it beforehand.”
However, other visitors, such as Lucas O’Brien from Indiana, noted that they received sufficient warnings. O’Brien, who had visited the National Park, said he saw signs indicating the fire danger and noticed notifications on his phone about the burn ban. “There are a lot of fallen trees, dead trees that would easily catch fire,” O’Brien said. “The signs were everywhere, and I felt well-informed.”
In addition to these digital and physical alerts, the city of Gatlinburg works closely with local businesses, including rental companies, campgrounds, and hotels, to ensure that tourists are aware of the risks. This outreach is part of a broader strategy that mirrors the city’s efforts to educate the public about the dangers of wild animals, particularly bears, in the area.
As the winds continued to howl through the region, Gatlinburg’s communication efforts stood as a testament to the city’s dedication to public safety. Whether through social media, mobile apps, or direct alerts, the city’s multifaceted approach to information dissemination aims to keep both residents and visitors informed and safe during times of heightened risk.
