Wildfires in Tennessee forced a whole town to evacuate

The entire town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, was ordered to evacuate as a wildfire spread over the region early this week.

The evacuation order was issued early on Monday night by the City of Gatlinburg, home to nearly 4,000 people.

The wildfire forced Tennessee Ripley's Aquarium staff to evacuate, leaving over 10,000 animals behind.

The attractions General Manager Ryan DeSear said as long as the building has power and didn't catch fire the animals will be safe. The animals can survive on their own for 24 hours.

At the time of the evacuation flames were about 50 yards away from the aquarium, DeSear said.

Evacuations were also issued for parts of Pigeon Forge and in areas along the Spur and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The fire also prompted officials to close and evacuate the Dollywood DreamMore Resort. As of early Tuesday morning, no structures in Dollywood have caught on fire.

As thousands left the town, flames roared nearby.

By around 11:30 p.m. on Monday, 30 buildings were reported on fire in Gatlinburg, including a 16-story hotel.

The fire also led to road and trail closures in parts of the Great Smoky National Park.

Schools in Sevier, Cocke and Greene counties announced that classes are canceled for Tuesday in wake of the wildfire.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency asked people to stay off cellular devices unless for emergency purposes as to unclog phone lines.

A light rain fell across the area earlier in the night. Additional rounds of rain will occur into Wednesday, which should help emergency crews to combat the fire.

The area around Gatlinburg has been exceptionally dry over the past several weeks, contributing to a heightened risk of wildfires.

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