PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (AP) - A wildfire burning in a resort area outside the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee has destroyed more than 30 large rental cabins.
Ben Bryson, a fire resources coordinator with the Tennessee Division of Forestry, says the 145-acre fire was first reported around 5 p.m. EDT Sunday.
Bryson says two National Guard helicopters are being dispatched Monday to help fight the fire, which has been contained and isn't expected to spread.
Bryson says some of the cabins were occupied and about 150 to 200 people were evacuated, but no injuries were reported.
A brush fire burned property at the Dollywood theme park in East Tennessee, but a park official said the fire will not affect the season opening next weekend.
Pigeon Forge Fire Department crews were fighting the fire at Dollywood until about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night and a few firefighters remained on the site overnight for observation.
Park spokesman Pete Owens told The Knoxville News Sentinel that visitors who come to the opening next weekend might see the side of the hill that burned, but there was no real property damage.
He said the fire began about 4:40 p.m. on Saturday and was probably ignited by a stray ember from the park's train. It spread through about 10 acres of wooded area.
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