3 dead in wildfires that ravaged Gatlinburg area

SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — Two popular tourist destinations in Tennessee have been evacuated due to wildfires.

Mandatory evacuations were issued Monday night for the cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge because of fires in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Videos from Gatlinburg show a bright orange sky and abandoned streets.

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Gatlinburg police had been going door to door in one neighborhood asking for voluntary evacuations. But as wind picked up and fallen trees sparked fires from downed lines, Gatlinburg fire officials declared a mandatory evacuation of a larger area.

The Dollywood resort was also evacuated Monday night because of the fires, ABC News confirmed.

According to a rep for Dollywood, Pete Owens, the guests in the cabins have been relocated, but the resort that is on site has not.

There was no fire in the park, as of late Monday night, Owens said.

A representative for Dolly Parton said that everything was OK so far inside the park as of Monday night.

The National Park Service reported that more fire growth was expected in the park and closed several roads, including U.S Highway 441 from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina. The highway runs through the center of the park, near Clingmans Dome.

Several videos from the Park Vista Hotel showed the smoky conditions inside as the flames roared outside the window.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group