Oak Ridge Today

Jefferson Middle School ski, snowboard club supports Gatlinburg residents

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Photo courtesy Scott Linn

Photo courtesy Scott Linn

 

By Scott Linn

As have so many across the country and throughout Tennessee, students and teachers from Jefferson Middle School express their sadness over the recent fires that burned through Gatlinburg, destroying a number of buildings and homes.

JMS ski and snowboard club members have been taking after-school trips to Ober Gatlinburg for more than 20 years on Wednesday afternoons each winter.

This year, to show support for the area and those who are working to rebuild, the students are wearing Smokies Strong T-shirts for their ski trips to Ober Gatlinburg. The shirts were a gift from an anonymous donor who provided the club with 50 shirts.

“When our club showed up in our Smokies Strong shirts on our first trip of the season, it had an impact on the workers up there, and I’m just really glad the club could play even a small part in helping lift their spirits,” said seventh-grader Allison Myers.

The Red Cross, the Dollywood Foundation, and Friends of the Smokies will benefit from proceeds of the sales of the shirts. [Read more…]

Weather Service: Few inches of rain possible next week

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Image by National Weather Service in Morristown

 

A few inches of rain are possible starting Monday in areas hardest hit by the drought, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

That would be a reversal of a months-long trend as a drought persists in the Southeast. The Knoxville area hasn’t had more than one inch of rain in more than four months, or 142 days, the National Weather Service said. The last time Knoxville had more than one inch of rain was July 5.

The Weather Service said a slow-moving upper-level storm system will start affecting the region during the early to middle part of next week.

“Good chances for some beneficial rains will exist late Monday through Wednesday evening,” forecasters said. [Read more…]

Air quality forecast for Tuesday: Unhealthy for sensitive groups

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The air quality forecast for Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016. Yellow areas are moderate, orange areas are unhealthy for sensitive groups, and red is unhealthy. (Image courtesy AirNow.gov)

 

The air quality forecast for the Knoxville area on Tuesday is again unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The air quality in the Knoxville area at about 8 a.m. Tuesday was unhealthy due to particle pollution, according to AirNow.gov. That means people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

Unhealthy for sensitive groups means the general public is not likely to be affected, but people with lung disease, older adults, and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, while people with heart and lung disease, older adults, and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

The poor air quality in the the Knoxville and Chattanooga metropolitan areas, as well as in the Great Smoky Mountains, is due to smoke from wildfires.

“Everyone should limit prolonged outdoor exertion,” the National Weather Service in Morristown said Tuesday. [Read more…]

More than 4,000 acres burned in Anderson County, state records say

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More than 4,000 acres have burned this month in four fires in rugged, forested parts of north Anderson County, state officials said Thursday. Smoke hangs high in the air above the mountains north of Oliver Springs on Thursday evening, Nov. 10, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 3:20 p.m. Nov. 12.

NEW RIVER—More than 4,000 acres have burned this month in five fires in mountainous north Anderson County, state officials said.

In Anderson County, 4,235 acres had been burned by the five fires as of Saturday afternoon, according to an update posted by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry. That was the most acres burned by fires that were still active in Tennessee on Saturday.

Arson is listed as the cause of four of the Anderson County fires, according to the update. Debris is the cause of another.

Smoke from at least two fires hung high above the mountains north of Oak Ridge and Oliver Springs on Thursday evening. It reduced visibility to a few hundred feet on the northernmost section of Highway 116 in rural Anderson County on Friday morning. Smoke was thick near a bridge at a 90-degree bend in the highway at the Campbell County line in northern Anderson County, irritating throats and making it harder to breathe. Firefighters said there was a nearby fire that they called Bootjack, up Stoney Fork Road, which goes north into Campbell County. [Read more…]

Smoke from brush fires settles in Oak Ridge; burn ban, air quality alert in effect

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A brown-gray haze thickened over Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, and the smell of smoke hung in the air as firefighters battled blazes in East Tennessee and across the state. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 5:25 p.m.

A brown-gray haze thickened over Oak Ridge on Monday and the smell of smoke hung in the air as firefighters battled blazes in East Tennessee and across the state.

The haze was visible at least into west Knox County.

Anderson County and Oak Ridge both issued reminders that a burn ban is in effect. The Oak Ridge Police Department sent out a notice that the smoke in the air is due to numerous brush fires throughout the state, and the department asked residents to not call 911 to inquire about the cause.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry reported 96 active fires on Sunday afternoon, with 8,665 acres burned. (See a list of the fires here and a map here.)

Three active fires were reported in Anderson County, with 1,485 acres burned. [Read more…]

Keep your holidays from going up in flames!

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State fire marshal offers tips for a safely decorated home

NASHVILLE—The winter holiday season should be a joyous time of year. However, certain types of fires and injuries associated with decorating are all too common and can put a damper on holiday celebrations.

“Nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source,” says State Fire Marshal and Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “To decrease your risk for a home fire, keep fire safety in mind as you deck the halls this season.”

Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays, and December is the peak month for home candle fires. The National Fire Protection Association’s statistics show that two of every five home decoration fires are started by candles.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages Tennesseans to consider using flameless candles, which look and smell like real candles. However, if you do use traditional candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid using candles in the bedroom, where one-third of U.S. candle fires begin or other areas where people may fall asleep. [Read more…]

Buying three new fire trucks at once could save money, help training, repairs, chief says

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Oak Ridge Fire Department New Truck

An example of what the new Oak Ridge Fire Department engines could look like. (Photos courtesy ORFD)

Buying three new fire trucks at the same time could save money and make repairs and training easier, a city official said.

Firefighters would only have to train on one truck, rather than on three different versions, and mechanics would only have to learn to fix one, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley told City Council members last week. When ordering parts, mechanics could order multiple replacements and have backups available.

The City Council will consider whether to buy the new fire engines during a 7 p.m. meeting on Monday, Sept. 9. The three new fire engines would replace trucks that are 15 years old and each have about 150,000 miles on them. Those vehicles would be used as reserves. [Read more…]

Tennessee Fire Marshal’s Office urges safety in manufactured homes

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NASHVILLE—The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office is urging residents of manufactured homes—also known as mobile homes or trailers—to practice fire safety.

More than 250,000 of these homes exist in Tennessee.

“Fires move more quickly in smaller spaces, leaving occupants with less time to escape. This is why it is crucial to have working smoke alarms installed in all homes,” State Fire Marshal and Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said. “Develop and practice a home fire escape with your loved ones so that everyone knows what to do when the alarm sounds.”

[Read more…]

Damage from two Clinton fires estimated at $300,000

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Information from WYSH Radio

Following up on last week’s fires at a pair of industries in Clinton, we now have damage estimates from Rexnord and Eagle Bend Manufacturing.

A Thursday night fire at Rexnord caused approximately $105,000 worth of damage. That blaze was sparked by an equipment malfunction.

[Read more…]

Two industry fires reported in Clinton

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ORFD Tower Truck

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded with a tower truck and personnel to a Thursday evening fire at Rexnord Link Belt Plant on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway in Clinton. (Photos by Tom Scott)

Two fires were reported Thursday night and early Friday morning at businesses in Clinton.

The first fire broke out Thursday night at Rexnord, and the second one occurred early Friday at Eagle Bend Manufacturing, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton. In both fires, no injuries were reported, and they are not believed to be suspicious in nature.

[Read more…]

East Tennessee arsons account for half of burned acres

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More than half the acres burned by arson in Tennessee since November were from 40 fires set in Anderson, Campbell, Hawkins and Scott counties, state officials said Tuesday.

The rash of wildfires before and after Thanksgiving are being investigated as arsons. In Anderson County, they included a 225-acre fire on Walden Ridge, a 375-acre fire at Graves Gap, and another 150-acre fire on Redoak Mountain. All three were in northern Anderson County.

[Read more…]

Chief: Don’t fight your own fires

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Electrical Fire

A photo submitted by Oak Ridge Fire Department shows an April fire on East Drive possibly caused by an electrical problem.

So far this year, two Oak Ridge homes have been destroyed by fires after residents tried to fight the flames themselves and calls to 911 were delayed by five minutes or more, Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said in an e-mail to the media Monday.

Now, Kerley is urging residents to call 911 immediately if they see smoke or fire. “We’re trying to notify the public to please, please call us,” he said.

[Read more…]