Four people were taken to local hospitals overnight with severe burns from one of at least twofires nearing the resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in a statement. No fatalities were reported.

Hundreds of homes and structures and a 16-story hotel were damaged or destroyed, the agency said.

"These are the worst possible conditions imaginable," Gatlinburg Fire Department Chief Greg Miller told reporters, according to the Tennessean newspaper.

Firefighters have battled dozens of wildfires across the U.S. Southeast in recent weeks, where tens of thousands of acres of forest have been scorched.

In Gatlinburg, known as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 14,000 people were ordered to flee overnight. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg said in a Facebook post that all of its animals were safe.

It was not immediately clear how many people were ordered from Pigeon Forge, which includes Dollywood's 150-acre spread of rides and other attractions.

The theme park said it would suspend operations on Wednesday due to the wildfires. Meanwhile, Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials said all of the park's facilities were closed "due to the extensive fire activity and downed trees."

About 12,000 homes and businesses were without power in the area and some 1,300 people sought refuge in shelters, officials said. Downed power lines and fallen trees sparked several smaller fires, local media reported.

Members of the state's National Guard have been called in to assist first responders.

Strong winds and ongoing drought have stoked fires in the area, where rain fell early on Tuesday, the emergency management agency said.

"Even with the rain that is currently falling there, the fires continue to burn and structures remain engulfed with little hope that the rainfall will bring immediate relief," it said.

While downtown Gatlinburg was untouched by the flames, heavy smoke and an orange sky hung overhead as motorists packed roads in an attempt to leave town.

"It's the apocalypse on both sides" of the city's center, volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Bobby Balding told NBC News affiliate 9News. </s> CLOSE As everything around them burned, two stepbrothers captured their harrowing drive to safety in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. USA TODAY NETWORK

Fire erupts on the side of The Spur, on Highway 441, on Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. (Photo: Jessica Tezak/Special to the News Sentinel)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Motorists fleeing wildfires in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge packed roads in and out of the resort towns Monday night as flames and choking smoke driven by wind swept across the area.

The Gatlinburg Fire Department ordered the mandatory evacuation of downtown Gatlinburg as wind conditions worsened and several fires grew increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.

As fires threaten homes and businesses in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the area's largest theme park was watching the situation closely.

Pete Owens, spokesperson for Dollywood, said late Monday that no structures inside the park had been damaged. Fire crews in the park were standing by if needed to protect the buildings.

Owens said the fire has reached the Upper Middle Creek ridge near the park, and staff evacuated 19 occupied cabins in the park's cabin resort area. In addition, they evacuated guests from 50 rooms in Dollywood's DreamMore Resort.

Some areas of Pigeon Forge also were being evacuated, according to fire spokeswoman Trish McGee.

"Three county school buses are available for emergency transport and are being dispatched as needed to transport those who need to evacuate," according to a statement from McGee.

Statement from @Dollywood on #Gatlinburg fire. No damage to parks at this time. DreamMore Resort & Smoky Mountain Cabins have been evacuated pic.twitter.com/CjIAv5mIkX — Kurt Chirbas (@kchirbas) November 29, 2016

"We were just told by the Gatlinburg Fire Department that they had told everybody in Gatlinburg to get out," said Judy Tucker, director of Sevier County's E-911 call center, around 9 p.m. "... No one's getting through to anyone. Phones are ringing and not being answered anywhere. It's chaos."

Around 6 p.m., Gatlinburg fire officials declared an immediate mandatory evacuation of the Mynatt Park neighborhood, East Foothills Road, Turkey Nest Road, Davenport Road and Savage Gardens areas. At that point, average wind speeds were recorded at 40 mph, with gusts clocking in as high as 74 mph, according to a news release from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Thick smoke in Pigeon Forge. Cars backed up on the spur trying to leave Gatlinburg. Fire trucks busy @wvltpic.twitter.com/9zVDt0dx5Y — Ted Hall (@tedhallnews) November 29, 2016

With the majority of the wildfires listed as 100% contained on the Division of Forestry's website on Sunday, firefighters were hoping the 2-plus inches of rainfall forecast for Monday and Tuesday nights would bring an end to the ongoing wildfire emergency. But Monday’s high wind speeds exacerbated the situation, and the rain has yet to fall — Gatlinburg was expected to receive at least half an inch around midnight, said Jeremy Buckles, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Morristown.

Thick smoke from area forest fires covers the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg on Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. (Photo: BRIANNA PACIORKA/NEWS SENTINEL)

"The wind is not helping, and the rain is not here yet," Gatlinburg Fire Department Chief Greg Miller said in a news conference. "These are the worst possible conditions imaginable."

Sharon Pinyan, leaving Gatlinburg, reports… “Evacuated Gatlinburg. A car behind us caught on fire due to the flames jumping the road.” pic.twitter.com/qislDoxpl0 — James Spann (@spann) November 29, 2016

Fallen trees sparked multiple fires in Gatlinburg from downed power lines, authorities said. Fire departments from multiple agencies are responding to the area fires.

Sevier County Schools canceled classes on Tuesday due to the fires, according to the school system's website.

Employees from the Elkmont and Park Headquarters area were evacuated. Officials closed the Gatlinburg Bypass and Little River Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area.

Longtime former LeConte Lodge caretaker Allyson Hughes Virden and her husband Chris posted on Facebook before the evacuation became mandatory.

One of my favorite vacation spots is under the threat of fire tonight. The Smokey Mountains of Tennessee are burning. #prayforgatlinburg — Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) November 29, 2016

"The mountain headed up to LeConte is a blaze," Allyson Virden said. "We drove to the top of our hill and we were blown away with the fire that is spreading up Mt. LeConte. My heart is breaking ... Chris and I are about to pack up and head out. It breaks my heart to think of all the people in harm's way and the historic buildings that are in danger. Please pray for our community and beloved Smokies."

Voluntary evacuations of Mynatt Park neighborhood began on Monday afternoon after a fire was reported around 11:30 a.m., roughly 150 yards behind the Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion on Cherokee Orchard Road, according to a park news release. The city set up a makeshift shelter at the Gatlinburg Community Center, 156 Proffitt Road.

Officials initially reported additional fire activity near the Park Headquarters area, as well as a spot fire between Elkmont and Newfound Gap Road off of the Sugarland Mountain Trail approximately 1 mile south of the Husky Gap Trail intersection.

The National Park Service issued an Air Quality Advisory for the area due to the smoke.

The blaze forced the evacuation of Pi Beta Phi Elementary School around 12:30 p.m. The evacuation was a precautionary measure due to the smoke, according to Karen King, assistant superintendent with the Sevier County School District.

The Twins Creek fire was the second in a week in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the first being a fire near the Chimney Tops area, which has grown to cover more than 500 acres since it was reported last week.

In a news release on Monday, park officials said they closed Newfound Gap Road, Cherokee Orchard Road, Elkmont Road and several trails in response to the Chimney Tops fire.

“The fire is currently moving northeast, burning primarily along the ground layer through duff and leaf litter. Gusting winds have caused the fire to spot across the ridges in the Chimney Tops and Bullhead Ridge areas,” the release stated.

Contributing: WBIR-TV, Knoxville, Tenn. Follow Steve Ahillen and Travis Dorman on Twitter: @sahillen and @travdorman

Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2gCoNa3 </s> Gatlinburg, Tennessee (CNN) Fanned by strong winds and the Southeast's worst drought in nearly a decade , at least 14 wildfires burned in and around Gatlinburg, Tennessee, forcing evacuations from the popular tourist destination and nearby communities.

"If you're a person of prayer, we could use your prayers," Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said Monday evening as crews battled wind gusts of up to 70 mph.

On Monday afternoon, a wildfire from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spread rapidly into nearby communities. Strong gusts scattered embers across long distances, starting fires that fed off drought-stricken trees. The winds also knocked down power lines, igniting new fires, according to authorities.

"Everything was like a perfect storm," said Cassius Cash, superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to CNN affiliate WATE.

There were no deaths reported in connection with the fires, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. But a male evacuee reportedly suffered burn wounds and an accident involving a fire truck may have also caused minor injuries, the agency said.

Several homes and businesses in downtown Gatlinburg were "completely lost to fire," according to authorities. By Tuesday morning, the scope of the disaster was difficult to quantify, with officials unable to give estimates for the number of fires, their size, injuries and how many structures had burned. But a report hours earlier from TEMA reported at least 30 structures had been impacted, including a 16-story hotel and an apartment complex that was consumed by flames.

Staff at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg were forced to evacuate Monday evening, but all of the facility's 1,500 animals are still inside, Ripley Entertainment Regional Manager Ryan DeSear told CNN Tuesday.

DeSear said that according to reports he has received, the building is still standing. The facility's webcam showed lights and power still working inside, but he's concerned about the deteriorating air quality, as well as the smoke and flames. DeSear said he's hoping some staff will be allowed back into the facility Tuesday morning to assess the damage.

If you are able, 'evacuate immediately'

Authorities issued evacuation orders for Gatlinburg and nearby areas, including the north end of Pigeon Forge: "Nobody is allowed into the city at this time. If you are currently in Gatlinburg and are able to evacuate ... evacuate immediately."

TEMA said on its website that State Hwy. 441 heading into Gatlinburg is closed except for emergency traffic and the same highway leaving the city is open for evacuations.

Schools in Green, McMinn and Sevier counties will be closed Tuesday, the agency said, and more than 12,000 people in Sevier County were without power as of early Tuesday morning.

Several evacuation shelters opened as about 1,300 people stayed overnight at the local community center and park. Shaken residents, some needing oxygen after inhaling so much smoke, huddled with each other at the shelters.

"We watched a building go down in flames to the right of us," said one tearful evacuee, who was rescued by firefighters.

At Dollywood, the theme park owned by Dolly Parton in Pigeon Forge, officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park evacuated guests from its resort and cabins as flames approached the area. The property had not suffered any damage as of late Monday night and its crew was working to protect the park areas, said Pete Owens, director of media relations at Dollywood.

Despite evacuation orders, some people -- including guests at one Gatlinburg hotel -- could not safely leave the area as the fire advanced.

Baker was among dozens of guests who couldn't leave because falling trees engulfed in flames had blocked the only road out.

"We can't go outside. The firefighters said the wind is blowing at 80 miles per hour and the debris in the air is too hard to get us down right now," he said.

The fire had not reached the hotel, but smoke had permeated the building, making it hard to breathe, he said. Guests stood in the hotel lobby with masks over their faces.

But Baker said he felt safe so far. He said he could see downtown Gatlinburg "just engulfed" in flames with cabins on the hillside on fire. The night sky had turned orange, clogged with smoke as ash rained down.

Elsewhere, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park evacuated employees from the Elkmont and park headquarters housing areas on Monday.

The flames proved unpredictable even for authorities as the fire blew into downtown Gatlinburg, forcing officials to evacuate their original command post at City Hall, said Dana Soehn, spokeswoman for the National Park Service. She was uncertain of the condition of City Hall.

The National Guard was activated to help fight the fire and assist in evacuations.

Fires burned perilously close to roads and homes. Social media images and videos showed the night sky blazing bright orange from the flames.

Several roads were closed because of fire danger, stemming from dangerous weather conditions, falling trees and downed power lines. Authorities asked people who have not been instructed to evacuate to stay off the roads as evacuees crammed the streets to get to safety.

Among them was Bill May, the executive director at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg. He posted on Facebook late Monday that several of the school's buildings had burned, but thankfully all personnel were safe.

"It is raining and winds have died down which offers hope, but the resources are stretched too thin with this much fire everywhere," he wrote.

There may be some good news: Rain moved into the area late Monday night, heading east.

But with the rainfall came some bad news.

"Unfortunately, some wind gusts will accompany this rain," noted the National Weather Service.

High winds are possible across eastern Tennessee, southwest Virginia and southwest North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service. They could topple trees and power lines and fan the flames. </s> The flames, driven to the outskirts of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge overnight by hurricane-force winds and fed by drought-parched brush, forced 14,000 people to flee and sent three to hospitals with severe burns, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said.

Three people were killed in the wildfires, the agency said, and a total of 14 people injured. No further details were immediately available on the fatalities.

While downtown Gatlinburg was untouched by the flames, heavy smoke and an orange sky hung overhead as motorists packed roads in an attempt to leave town.

"I can tell you that we've all been overwhelmed at the scene of destruction in the county and primarily in the city of Gatlinburg," Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters told reporters at a press conference.

Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner said that about half of the town of some 3,000 people, known as the "gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains," had been affected by the blazes.

Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said the so-called Chimney Top fire exploded on Monday evening as humidity dropped and wind gusts reached nearly 90 miles per hour.

"I can tell you this, whatever we deal with today is not gonna be anything like what we dealt with last night. The worst is definitely over with," Miller said at the news conference.

It was not immediately clear how many people were ordered from Pigeon Forge, which includes Dollywood's 150-acre spread of rides and other attractions.

The theme park said it would suspend operations on Wednesday because of the wildfires, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials said all of the park's facilities were closed because of extensive fire activity and downed trees.

"I have been watching the terrible fires in the Great Smoky Mountains and I am heartbroken," Parton said in a written statement.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the great people of Tennessee during these terrible wildfires. Stay safe!" President-elect Donald Trump said in a post on Twitter.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence told reporters that Trump had spoken to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to express the incoming administration's concern and offer their prayers.

About 12,000 homes and businesses were left without power in the area and some 2,000 people sought refuge in shelters, officials said. Downed power lines and fallen trees sparked several smaller fires, local media reported.

Members of the state's National Guard have been called in to assist first responders.

Firefighters have battled dozens of wildfires across the U.S. Southeast in recent weeks.

"It's the apocalypse on both sides" of the city's center, volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Bobby Balding told local 9News. </s> Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Gatlinburg and parts of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., where strong winds and drought stoked fires in the area, the National Weather Service said in an advisory.

"These are the worst possible conditions imaginable," Gatlinburg Fire Department Chief Greg Miller told reporters, according to the Tennessean newspaper.

The nearby Chimney 2 Fire quickly grew from about 10 acres on Sunday evening to about 500 acres on Monday as wind gusts reached 75 mph in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Conditions also sparked another fire south of Gatlinburg on Monday, Wildfiretoday.com reported.

No fatalities were reported. One man suffered burns and several injuries were reported after a fire truck crash, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.

A total of 1,200 people were in two area shelters, officials said.

Heavy smoke and a orange sky hung over downtown Gatlinburg where nearby roads were packed with motorists trying to get out of town. Downed power lines and fallen trees sparked several smaller fires, media reported.

Some 30 buildings including a 16-storey hotel and an apartment were on fire in Gatlinburg on Monday night, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said. About 100 homes were impacted, Sevier County officials said.

About 7 miles north, parts of Pigeon Forge were also evacuated, including Dollywood, a resort and theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton. No Dollywood structures were threatened, a spokesman for the resort told a local NBC affiliate.

"Fire was coming over the mountains, and the smoke was so bad we could barely breathe as we were trying to pack up," Mike Gill told NBC News as he was leaving the area with his wife. "The traffic is horrible. It's a mass exodus." </s> GATLINBURG, Tenn. A Tennessee mayor said Tuesday three people have died in the wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses near the Great Smoky Mountains.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Tuesday afternoon that he didn't have any details on the deaths. The mayor says authorities are going door-to-door to make sure everyone is safe. About a dozen people have been injured.

Gatlinburg's mayor said the firefighters are still battling hotspots and there will be a curfew in effect Tuesday night. More than 14,000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the tourist city in the mountains.

Wildfires fueled by high winds burned the doorstep of the Dollywood theme park and destroyed a resort.

National Guard troops arrived Tuesday to help overwhelmed firefighters, and Mother Nature provided a little relief as the winds calmed and rain fell in some areas. Forecasters said it would not be enough to end the relentless drought that has spread across the South and set the stage over the past few weeks for wildfires in Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina.

Linda Monholland, who was working at Park View Inn in Gatlinburg, said it was about 9 p.m. Monday when she left her workplace with about five other people. Surrounded by flames the whole way, they walked for about 20 minutes to a trolley to evacuate.

"There was fire everywhere. It was like we were in hell. Hell opened up," said Monholland, who was staying Tuesday at Rocky Top Sports World, an 80-acre sports facility that has been turned into a shelter. "Walking through hell, that's what it was. I can't believe it. I never want to see something like that again in my life, ever."

Photos of the popular tourist area showed scorched cars and buildings, and soot-covered debris littered across roads in the Gatlinburg area. A smoky haze hung in the air, obscuring picturesque views of mountains in the fall, awash in trees with leaves of red, yellow and gold.

The latest wildfires grew Monday night when wind high winds blew trees onto power lines, sparking new fires and spreading embers over long distances, officials said.

"There were times last night that we had wind gusts in excess of 87 miles an hour. That is hurricane force. That is nowhere to be when trying to fight a fire," Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said at a news conference Tuesday.

Hundreds of homes and other buildings, including a 16-story hotel, were damaged or destroyed.

Emergency officials ordered evacuations in downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and in other areas of Sevier County near the Great Smoky Mountains. About 14,000 residents and visitors were evacuated from Gatlinburg alone.

About 1,200 people took shelter at the Gatlinburg Community Center and the Rocky Top Sports Park, and several other shelters opened. TV broadcasts showed residents streaming out of town just as rain started to wet roads.

At least a dozen people were taken to hospitals, including some with burns. No deaths were reported and officials said they had not received any reports of missing people.

Evacuees dodged fire on foot and in cars to reach shelters.

At about 9:30 p.m. Monday, Tammy Dillon had just gotten home from work when police banged on her door and told her to get out.

Dillon said she drove through a fiery scene to get to Rocky Top Sports World, where she spent the night in a car and used the shelter for the bathroom.

"We drove through flames, over hot embers in the road. It was awful," Dillon said.

In downtown Gatlinburg, workers at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies had to flee because of the wildfires and left behind more than 10,000 fish and other animals. Police escorted a team of marine biologists and life support experts back into the aquarium Tuesday morning, and the animals were doing fine, Ripley's said in a news release.

Based on preliminary surveys, the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg "is likely entirely gone," the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in a news release. The agency had previously said it had reports that the Ober Gatlinburg amusement park and ski area had been destroyed as well, but later said resort officials had checked in and said the property was fine.

Officials with Dollywood, the amusement park named after country music icon Dolly Parton, said the theme park wasn't damaged, but more than a dozen cabins operated by the park had been.

Dollywood suspended park operations at least through Wednesday. Its DreamMore resort will be open on a limited basis as a shelter and for registered guests.

Just hours before the fires spread, the singer appeared in a 30-second video released by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, telling people to avoid burning leaves and parking vehicles on dry grass, and warning that even a campfire can spark a wildfire.

Parton is a native of Sevier County, which includes both Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge.

In the mid-1980s, Parton partnered with the Herschend family who ran the park, then known as Silver Dollar City. It opened under the new name of Dollywood in 1986.

Parton said she's heartbroken over the fires.

"I am praying for all the families affected by the fire and the firefighters who are working so hard to keep everyone safe," Parton said in a statement. "It is a blessing that my Dollywood theme park, the DreamMore Resort and so many businesses in Pigeon Forge have been spared."

Rain showers ended in the Gatlinburg area about 8 a.m. Tuesday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Roberts. No more meaningful rainfall was expected until about midnight Tuesday, and would last through Wednesday.

After weeks of punishing drought, any rain should be soaked up quickly, forecasters said. Rainfall amounts have been 10 to 15 inches below normal during the past three months in many parts of the South.

"I think we racked up deficits that are going to be too much to overcome with just one storm system," said Mark Svoboda, director of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. </s> GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — The Latest on wildfires burning across the South (all times local):

A Tennessee mayor says three people have died in the wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses near the Great Smoky Mountains.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Tuesday afternoon that he didn't have any details on the deaths. The mayor says authorities are going door-to-door to make sure everyone is safe. About a dozen people have been injured.

Gatlinburg's mayor says they firefighters are still battling hotspots and there will be a curfew in effect Tuesday night. More than 14,000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the tourist city in the mountains.

Aquarium officials in wildfire-threatened Gatlinburg, Tennessee, say they have a team of biologists inside the facility and that all of the 10,000 fish and other animals are safe.

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies made the announcement in a statement Tuesday, hours after workers had to flee the building when wildfires fueled by high winds spread across parts of eastern Tennessee. More than 14,000 people in the city were forced to leave and an entire resort was wiped out by the fire. A dozen people were injured but no deaths have been reported.

Aquarium officials say police escorted an "emergency team" back into the facility to check on the animals Tuesday.

The aquarium will remain closed until the evacuation orders are lifted. Officials say more than 2 million people visit the aquarium each year.

A county mayor in Tennessee says that an aquarium threatened by wildfires is intact and running on a generator.

At a news conference Tuesday, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies was OK as of Tuesday morning. Workers there evacuated and have been worried about the more than 10,000 animals housed there.

Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller says 12 people have been injured in the wildfires in the Gatlinburg area, most with non-life-threatening injuries. He said they haven't received any reports of missing people.

Miller said the fire spread Monday night by winds that at times exceeded 87 miles per hour.

Dollywood representatives say the theme park hasn't been damaged by wildfires, but more than a dozen cabins operated by the park have been damaged or destroyed.

A news release says Dollywood made an assessment of the park early Tuesday morning. On Monday night, resort staff evacuated families staying in 50 rooms at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and in 19 of Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Cabins.

The release notes that Dollywood has suspended park operations at least through Wednesday, but DreamMore will be open on a limited basis as a shelter and for registered guests.

Also on Tuesday, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported that the Ober Gatlinburg amusement park and ski area is fine. The agency previously received reports that the facility was likely destroyed.

Preliminary surveys indicate that the fires have wiped out the more than 100 buildings of the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa.

Tennessee officials say thousands of residents and visitors in the Gatlinburg area have been evacuated and hundreds of structures have been damaged and destroyed by spreading wildfires.

In a news release Tuesday morning, authorities say three people who suffered severe burns have been transferred from a Knoxville hospital to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, which has a burn unit. A fourth person is being treated for facial burns in Knoxville.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says hundreds of firefighters as well as local and state personnel and National Guard troops have been sent in to help fight the blaze and check on people.

Officials say about 14,000 residents and visitors were evacuated from Gatlinburg alone.

According to the news release, preliminary surveys indicate that Westgate Resorts with more than 100 buildings and Ober Gatlinburg are both likely destroyed.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says officials in the Gatlinburg area estimate that about 100 homes have been damaged or destroyed by flames from spreading wildfires.

Emergency officials in Tennessee ordered evacuations in downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and in other areas of Sevier County near the Smoky Mountains while crews continue to battle the blaze. Officials say the wildfire has set 30 structures ablaze in Gatlinburg, including a 16-story hotel. TEMA says no deaths have been reported, though one person was burned while evacuating.

Officials say there are about 1,200 people sheltering at the Gatlinburg Community Center and the Rocky Top Sports Park. Several other shelters have opened to house those forced from their homes. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says National Guard troops are being sent in to help out as wildfires continue to spread in Gatlinburg and surrounding areas in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. TEMA spokesman Dean Flener says the troops will transport first responders, perform welfare checks and remove debris. Emergency officials in Tennessee ordered evacuations due to the blaze in downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and in other areas of Sevier County. Officials say the wildfire has set 30 structures ablaze in Gatlinburg, including a 16-story hotel. TEMA says no deaths have been reported, though one person was burned while evacuating. Officials say there are about 1,200 people sheltering at the Gatlinburg Community Center and the Rocky Top Sports Park. Meanwhile, officials say about 12,000 people are without power and three school systems had canceled classes Tuesday. As storms approach some of the largest wildfires burning in the South, the rain signaled new hope for firefighters working to put them out. But authorities said the storms were also bringing high winds, which could topple the many dead trees and branches in burning forests and pose a threat to firefighters. And experts predicted rains from one storm system wouldn't be enough to end the relentless drought that's spread across several states. The storms appeared to be taking aim at the two largest wildfires in the South — the nearly 28,000-acre Rough Ridge Fire in north Georgia and the nearly 25,000-acre Rock Mountain Fire burning on both sides of the Georgia-North Carolina line. Authorities said 22 other large wildfires were burning throughout the Southeast U.S. </s> Gatlinburg, Tennessee (CNN) Three people were killed in raging wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee, and officials are bracing for the possibility of more blazes overnight.

Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said Tuesday that the three people were killed in separate locations in the fires that started Monday. Miller told reporters he does not know whether there are more victims.

"We have not been able to get into all the areas," the chief said.

The wildfires have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in and near eastern Tennessee's resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in a dizzying 24 hours, officials said.

"People were basically running for their lives," Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner, who apparently lost his home to wildfires, said in describing the scene in his resort city.

The fire that sparked the dozen other blazes was "human-caused," National Park Service spokeswoman Dana Soehn said, without elaborating. The blaze is under investigation.

The National Park Service said roughly 15,000 acres have been scorched. More than 250 structures have been damaged.

Officials said they are not certain when residents will be able to return to evacuated neighborhoods. A curfew was imposed for 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Werner said destroyed properties in many cases are next to properties that appear untouched or with little damage.

Responders still are trying to evaluate the destruction caused by the flames that spread with little warning from the Great Smoky Mountains.

"Ash was raining down like snow," said Jonathan Frye, who evacuated his home Monday night with his wife and children.

Frye is a chef at Dollywood and lives just a few miles from the park. He said the smoke was so thick it was hard to see the car in front of him as he drove away from the fires, which he could see from his doorstep. His home was not damaged.

Some major tourist attractions appeared to have been spared by the fires, and Miller said earlier that the worst appeared to be over Tuesday morning.

Strong winds pushed the fires from the mountains into the more-inhabited areas Monday afternoon, destroying the homes and businesses in the Gatlinburg area, officials said.

Here's what you need to know:
• More than 14,000 residents and visitors are believed to have been evacuated from Gatlinburg alone, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said. Evacuations also have been ordered in other communities, including Pigeon Forge.
• About 12 people were taken to hospitals, mostly with non-life-threatening injuries, Miller said earlier. Three with burns were taken to the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, the hospital said.
• Among the hundreds of structures destroyed in the area, more than 100 were in Gatlinburg, Werner said. That includes a 16-story hotel and an apartment complex, TEMA said.
• Werner said he believes his house is among those lost. "But things can be rebuilt. Our downtown's intact, and that's really great for our economy" and the city's future, the mayor said. "We will rebuild, and we will remain the premier resort community that we are. ... It will be OK."
• Miller said about 14 active structure fires remained in the city Tuesday morning, but because winds have died down, "the worst is definitely over with."
• Fires were at the edge of the Dollywood theme park in nearby Pigeon Forge on Tuesday morning, officials said.
• All 1,500 animals at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg are safe, the aquarium said on Twitter. Staff members were forced to evacuate from the attraction.

On Monday afternoon, a wildfire from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spread into nearby communities. Strong gusts -- up to 87 mph -- scattered embers across long distances, starting fires that fed off drought-stricken trees. The winds also knocked down power lines, igniting new fires, Miller said.

A major attraction, the Ober Gatlinburg ski area and amusement park that overlooks the city, appeared to be spared. But on a road leading to the resort, what used to be homes have been reduced to burned-out husks.

Only the bricks remained intact -- and only in places. The insides have been eaten away by the fire.

The cars parked outside have suffered the same fate -- their paint burned to ash, their tires melted away. Uprooted trees leaned on power lines. Smoke turned the sky a bleak gray.

"It is absolutely devastating," said Mark Nagi of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, who posted footage of the devastation on his Twitter feed.

Fire destroyed a number of buildings at Gatlinburg's Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa. Smoke drifted Tuesday from burned-out vehicles and the buildings' charred remains. Chris Turner posted video of the damage to Facebook.

"It's all gone, guys," Turner said of one section of units on the bottom part of the property. "This got so hot, it melted the ... pavement."

If you are able, 'evacuate immediately'

Authorities issued evacuation orders for Gatlinburg and nearby areas, including the north end of Pigeon Forge: "Nobody is allowed into the city at this time. If you are currently in Gatlinburg and are able to evacuate ... evacuate immediately."

Pigeon Forge is home to Dollywood, the theme park owned by singer and actress Dolly Parton. At Dollywood, officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park evacuated guests from its resort and cabins as flames approached the area.

Parton said in a statement that she was heartbroken about the fires and was "praying for all the families affected."

"It is a blessing that my Dollywood theme park, the DreamMore Resort and so many businesses in Pigeon Forge have been spared," she added.

Schools in Green, McMinn and Sevier counties were closed Tuesday, the agency said, and about 12,000 people in Sevier County were without power as of Tuesday morning.

Several evacuation shelters opened and about 1,300 people stayed overnight at the local community center and park. Shaken residents, some needing oxygen after inhaling so much smoke, huddled with each other at the shelters.

"We watched a building go down in flames to the right of us," said one tearful evacuee, who was rescued by firefighters.

Despite evacuation orders, some people -- including guests at one Gatlinburg hotel -- could not safely leave the area as the fire advanced Monday night.

Baker was among dozens of guests who couldn't leave because falling trees engulfed in flames had blocked the only road out.

The fire had not reached the hotel, but smoke had permeated the building, making it hard to breathe, he said. Guests stood in the hotel lobby Monday night with masks over their faces.

Elsewhere, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park evacuated employees from the Elkmont and park headquarters housing areas on Monday.

But it wouldn't be enough to extinguish them, he said. There still will be smoldering logs and burning areas protected by trees, and it will take a thorough soaking to put the fires out.

What could help more is a batch of storms expected to hit the area early Wednesday into Thursday. They could drop 2 to 3 inches of rain, CNN Meteorologist Dave Hennen said. </s> Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Dolly Parton heartbroken over wildfires

Country music star Dolly Parton says she is "heartbroken" over wildfires that have killed three people and injured 14 near her Tennessee resort.

Mandatory evacuations are under way around Gatlinburg as wildfires have set hundreds of buildings ablaze.

The fires threaten Dollywood, a theme park owned by Parton, and an aquarium housing thousands of animals.

Several southern states are battling wind-fuelled wildfires after months of drought.

Image copyright Alamy Stock Photo Image caption Fire officials say the wildfire is "right on the doorstep" of Dollywood

"I have been watching the terrible fires in the Great Smoky Mountains and I am heartbroken," Parton said.

"I am praying for all the families affected by the fire and the firefighters who are working so hard to keep everyone safe."

Dollywood, in the mountain town of Pigeon Forge, has evacuated guests from some of its properties, with several cabins and vacation structures being damaged, a spokesman said.

Parton, 70, had appeared in a public service advertisement on Sunday, asking people nearby to take steps to prevent spreading the fire.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that three people had died, but he did not provide further details.

The conflagration in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains was being spread by winds gusting over 80mph (128km/h).

National Guard troops began arriving early on Tuesday morning to help battle the blaze.

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Thousands of people have been evacuated so far.

Image copyright Twitter

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sent out warnings on social media to avoid the area.

There is concern for more than 10,000 animals at an aquarium in Gatlinburg after all employees were evacuated.

The building is still standing, but "workers are anxious to return to check on the animals", the general manager of Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Ryan DeSears, told local media.

Facebook has activated its safety check feature.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Motorists stop to view the fires ahead of the evacuation order

A new storm system is predicted to bring high winds, which authorities say could topple dead trees and pose a threat to firefighters.

But the rainfall due to come with the weather system is not expected to end the drought.

"It's way too early to say, 'yes, this drought is over,'" said Mark Svoboda, director of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

"Does it put a dent in it? Yes, but we have a long ways to go."

Neighbouring Georgia as well as North and South Carolina are battling wildfires, too.
The Gatlinburg Fire Department orders the mandatory evacuation of downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as several wildfires burn out of control in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.