Potential Tourists Have Wrong Idea About Gatlinburg Wildfires

GATLINBURG, TN -- November 28, 2016, Thanksgiving Day a wildfire started in the Gatlinburg area that quickly spread to nearby Pigeon Forge and Sevierville as well as the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Approximately 14,000 residents and tourists evacuated and 14 died before 10,000 acres were burned and all the fires were extinguished between Dec. 9 and 12.

The lasting damage to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountain Park is far less than the general public and potential visitors believe, according to a poll taken by smokymountains.com. Yet, according to the survey the negative perception about Gatlinburg and the park would not prevent them from visiting.

The survey numbers that stand out the most were how many believed that Gatlinburg and the park were much more significantly damaged than they were. Downtown Gatlinburg received approximately 0 percent damage, yet over 72 percent believed that more than 10 percent of Gatlinburg was destroyed. And 20 percent of Tennessee residents believe that over 50 percent of Gatlinburg was destroyed.

Similarly only 3 percent of the Smoky Mountains were charred, but just shy of 45 percent polled believe that 25 percent of the park burned with 22 percent believing as much as 50 percent burned. And 28 percent believed the deaths were much higher than reality: somewhere between 26 and 100.

The survey was of 2,400 individuals in Tennessee and surrounding states. Slightly more than 24 percent said they would be less likely to visit the area. But nearly 74 percent said the damage to the area does not impact the likelihood of a visit. Only 17 percent believed that visitors faced greater risk in the park.

Image via smokymountain.com