Resort owner recounts fire escape as Whitwell fire fight continues
"The moon had an orange glow and the sky had a pink hue."
WHITWELL, Tenn. (WDEF) – Smoke has been filling the air over the Marion County town of Whitwell.
Rain can’t approach fast enough for the Whitwell Mountain community as a wildfire has been spreading since Sunday afternoon.
The fire itself has come close to a popular resort whose normal view of the Sequatchie Valley went up in smoke.
A Tennessee National Guard helicopter helping Marion County firefighters battle the Whitwell Mountain fire.
One of owners of the Bolt Farm Treehouse Resort, Tori Bolt, described the scene as, “Oh it was incredibly smoky. You know, looking up at the sky it was dark out but the moon had an orange glow and the sky had a pink hue because of the flames.”
Bolt said their idyllic mountainside resort became more the scene of a bad dream shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday evening.
She said, “My husband Seth, was walking around the property with a team member and they noticed smoke from down below, down below the bluff, and they could see it creeping towards our property.”
Within hours of firefighters’ arrival, the fully booked resort of about 40 guests had to be evacuated per the order of firefighters.
The fire spread throughout the night, as firefighters established a command post at the nearby Cumberland Mountain Church of God.
Marion County EMA’s Director, Steve Lamb, said, “They’re all from volunteer fire departments here in Marion County. If I try to name them all I’ll leave somebody out.”
Firefighters hope they can douse some of these flames before winds increase Monday night.
Lamb said, “(We are) very concerned, and we saw it last night even, with the fire on the bluff out there blowing the embers literally over the fire engines at some point in time.”
Help has also come from a Tennessee National Guard helicopter requested by the State Forestry Office.
In the meantime, the firefighters on the ground have supplies coming in at their command post to help them in their battle.
Lamb said, “Marion County comes together in times like this. It’s emotional for me because they take care of us.”
Meanwhile Bolt is hoping the incoming rain falls in buckets.
She said, “We’re not out of the woods yet, so for anyone watching we absolutely request your thoughts and prayers.”
As of 5:39 p.m. on Monday evening, the fire is 60% contained and 125 acres according to the Tennessee State Forestry Office.
You can follow updates from them here.
The only evacuation order so far has been for the Bolt Farm Treehouse Resort.
Director Lamb said the cause of the fire is currently unknown.
