 |
| Dollywood was spared in the Gatlinburg Fires (Internet photo) |
Be sure to read my other post first (click
HERE) --- and you may even have more comments/questions.
I decided to write this 'follow-up' talking more about some of your comments and questions. Here are some additional thoughts.
1. I'm not sure how they caught the juveniles who set the fire ---but they DID. Since they are juveniles, we have heard NOTHING else about them --who they are, where they are from, etc. Since they are being 'tried' as juveniles, I'm not sure IF we will ever hear anything about them. For the life of me, I cannot understand why they set that fire.... Of course, they probably had no idea what would happen. Wonder if they regret doing what they did now? I HOPE SO.
I know that, as a Christian, we are taught to have understanding and forgiveness... I do forgive them --but will NEVER forget what they did.
2. I read that all of the historical cabins in the Smokies were saved... I'm sure they put a priority on saving that history ---and George and I think that the Ogle Cabin and Barn could easily have been destroyed except for the work of hard-working firefighters --who were there to spray water on the cabins and keep the embers from jumping onto roofs.... Thanks for our firefighters...
3. There IS so much love, faith, compassion and forgiveness coming from the people who live or lived in and around the Gatlinburg area. It is amazing how a tragedy brings people together..
Seeing the people of Gatlinburg working so hard to make a living for themselves and others made me think about all of the people in our country who are not working and who (many of them) are out there protesting one thing or another. I wish all of those people would put their energies into helping the people of Gatlinburg (and many other places around our country) who so desperately need help.
4. Yes---our woods will come back.... I know about controlled burns ---since we see them frequently. Controlled Burns are GOOD for the woods.. Things will come back --will even be healthier!!!!
5. Gatlinburg is a small mountain town sitting RIGHT up against the mountains. People have built homes or cabins all over those mountain ranges... Since one cannot built inside the national parks, there's not many areas left in and around Gatlinburg... Since tourism is such a booming business there, the growth has happened on the north and eastern sides of Gatlinburg (in areas around Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Cosby).
Sometimes, as an old-timer who just loves the mountains and who doesn't love the water-slides and other tourist shows and entertainment areas, I am sorry that so many cabins have been built in such a small area. Disasters happen ---and this was the 'perfect storm' for a little place like Gatlinburg.
6. This fire storm happened SO quickly --and there really wasn't much time for people to prepare or in many cases even LEAVE for safety. The embers were jumping from area to area --and once the storm got to an area, it would QUICKLY just burn everything in its path as it barreled down that mountain range into a 'holler' where there were many homes/cabins.
But--as I said, we would see one house burned to the ground and the house next door wasn't touched... The fire just jumped around depending upon the winds....
7. I hope that Liene is correct when she said that some of the charred trees (that I pictured) will or may come back... I hope so... I do know that some trees are much more resilient than others... George and I will go back to that area around the Ogle Cabin in a year ---and I'll let you know what we find...
8. Linda (Behold the Beauty), I know how much you also love the Smokies... I am anxious to see the Roaring Forks area --once they open it up in the Spring... I'll keep you posted. I will tell you that the trail to Rainbow Falls was OPEN ---so that is good news. (By the way, you two need to get down this way soon so that you can have some closure after seeing the area..)
Thanks for your comments.. They mean so much to me!!!!!
Hugs,
