Smokies wildfires: A 'light at the end of the tunnel' for one owner as region faces damage
An Air Force veteran whose Pigeon Forge vacation cabin was completely destroyed in the recent East Tennessee wildfires said he plans to rebuild in time for his anticipated retirement.
Herman Duran is one of the countless homeowners and residents impacted by the two Smoky Mountain region wildfires that broke out in late March.
"It could be worse," Duran told Knox News of his predicament. "My heart goes out to those (residents) who were displaced."
The fires caused more than $66 million in damages in Sevier County, according to early estimates.
Duran said the actions of a fire crew who took the time to rescue his American flag and Air Force banner were "a light at the end of the tunnel" for him as he assessed the damage to his retreat in Shagbark Resort.
"The flag will fly again," Duran said.
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The two wildfires were caused by high winds that downed power lines, according to the investigation completed last week by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Crime Unit.
“The high winds that took down the power lines to spark the fires also fueled the progression of the fires," Agricultural Crime Unit Captain Greg Whitehead said.
'It meant a lot to me'
Duran knew his vacation cabin was destroyed, putting his plans to retire there in 18 months on hold. But he had no idea his flag and banner had been rescued until he made the trek to Pigeon Forge to check on what was left of his property.
Duran currently lives in Coral Gables, Florida.
While heading to his cabin, Duran stopped along the way to talk to Sevier County Fire Administrator David Puckett. Duran was wearing a veteran's hat and mentioned his military service, he said.
The next day, Puckett called Duran. While out in the field conducting fire assessments, Puckett had bumped into a fire crew that was trying to locate the owner of an American flag and Air Force banner.
While the crew had been unable to save that particular cabin, they said, they took down the flag when they retreated. They were hoping to reunite it with its owner.
Duran confirmed the flag and banner did, in fact, belong to him.
"It meant a lot to me," he said. "I'm very grateful to them for honoring the flag and honoring me as well."
The Hatcher Mountain/Indigo Lane fire that started March 30 burned nearly 2,500 acres, damaging 219 structures and destroying 130 of those. Firefighting efforts fully contained the fire by April 5.
The Dupont fire started March 31, burned nearly 1,000 acres and was fully contained a week later.
The preliminary damages figure for the county was based on property assessments, Perrin Anderson, Sevier County assistant mayor for governmental affairs, told Knox News in an email Thursday.
Local agencies incurred more than $3 million of expenses, Anderson added.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee wildfires near Pigeon Forge cost $66 million in damages
