Mowbary Mountain evacuees relieved to be back home

MOWBRAY MOUNTAIN, Tennessee (WDEF) – Residents forced to evacuate on Thursday due to brush fires are relieved to be back home, but some are still worried.

When News 12 first spoke to Shannon Thennes, she was one of more than two dozen residents living along Arnat Drive and Bonelia Circle who received a notice to evacuate. The brush fire was literally right behind her home.

“It was terrifying. The kids I have here were worried that our house would burn down. they were crying. My mom was crying. It was ridiculous,” Thennes said.

Wanda Bradwell told News 12 she had just returned to her neighborhood with her grandson when she received a notice to evacuate.

“I was worried about my home. Most people around here were worried about sentimental things but I was more worried about getting my grandson out of this situation,” Bradwell said.

The situation that was unfolding near Bradwell’s home had already taken a toll on her Thursday morning when she left her house. Wanda said she suffers from asthma and the heavy smoke from the nearby brush fire was not helping.

“Oh it was rough because I got breathing machines and oxygen,” she said.

Thennes’s mom was also affected by the heavy smoke, especially since their home was so close to where the fire kept reigniting.

“With how bad of an asthmatic she is, she probably would have gone to the hospital; with her having to keep an emergency inhaler on her, due to all this smoke build-up; it’s even hard going down to the valley right now because of it,” Thennes said.

By Thursday evening, all the evacuees were allowed to return.

“Everyone was celebrating,” Thennes said.

Folks may have celebrated their return, but not everyone is at ease.

“I’m still a little nervous because it’s still picking back up and the wind keeps coming, but you know, I just hope and pray to the lord that he is with us is all I can say,” Bradwell said.

No structures have been damaged and no residents have been reported injured, but on Friday morning, a spokesperson for Hamilton County EMS reported that a volunteer firefighter suffered an injury to his leg. He was taken to a local hospital. There is no word on his condition.