Townsend blaze burns 300 acres of woodlands
By Iva Butler | (ivab@thedailytimes.com)
A fire burned at least 300 acres of woodlands off Wears Valley Road in Townsend.
Townsend Volunteer Fire Department received a call at 5 a.m. Monday that the fire was within 15 feet of four houses in Rocky Top Estates. Tennessee Division of Forestry had five dozers on the scene cutting fire lines around the blaze to keep it contained, but high, whipping winds were making the job difficult.
The fire started on ridges and was creeping down the mountains, said Townsend Fire Chief Don Stallions. A man who lives in a house near the fire advised officials that he heard a noise and when he looked up the fire was coming down the ridge line.
The fire got down into Fawn Hollow, as well as near Rocky Top Estates, Stallions said. Part of the fire was in the area where Next to Heaven has cut trails for riding four-wheelers and horseback riding.
The cause of the fire is unknown. However, Stallions said it could have been smoldering after a thunderstorm several days ago or a tree may have got into power lines.
Townsend Volunteer Fire Department had 14 firefighters and three trucks at the scene and Forestry had about a dozen firefighters.
