Burned buildings and cars aftermath of wildfire is seen in this image released in social media by Tennessee Highway Patrol in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, U.S. on November 29, 2016. Picture taken on November 29, 2016. Courtesy Tennessee Highway Patrol/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - The confirmed death toll from wildfires burning in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee rose to 10 on Thursday, as investigators determined the initial blaze that ignited the larger conflagration was human-caused, officials said.

The tally of documented property losses from the fires, which have reduced whole neighborhoods to ruins in the resort town of Gatlinburg in eastern Tennessee, have been put at more than 700 structures destroyed, authorities said.

In a televised briefing for reporters on Thursday, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said the number of people confirmed killed in the fires was now 10, up from seven deaths reported on Wednesday.

That marked the highest number of deaths in a single U.S. wildfire since 19 firefighters perished near Prescott, Arizona, in 2013, and the largest civilian death toll since 15 people were killed in California's so-called Cedar Fire in 2003, according to Jessica Gardetto, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

None of the Tennessee victims has been publicly identified. A spokeswoman for the fire command center told Reuters that no firefighters had been reported killed there.

The latest fire disaster began last week when a blaze now dubbed the Chimney Tops 2 fire erupted in a remote area of rugged, hard-to-reach terrain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, authorities said.

Fed by drought-parched brush and trees and stoked by fierce winds, the flames spread quickly days later, exploding on Monday into an inferno that roared out of the park into surrounding homes and businesses.

"The wildfire was determined to be human-caused and is currently under investigation," according to a bulletin released on Thursday by fire commanders and the National Park Service. It gave no further details.

Steady rains on Tuesday night and into Wednesday helped firefighters slowed the blaze, but officials as of Thursday morning were still reporting zero containment around a fire zone that spanned more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares). </s> Burned buildings and cars aftermath of wildfire is seen in this image released in social media by Tennessee Highway Patrol in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, U.S. on November 29, 2016. Picture taken on November 29, 2016. Courtesy Tennessee Highway Patrol/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - The death toll from a devastating blaze in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee rose to 10 on Thursday, marking the highest loss of civilian life from a single U.S. wildfire in 13 years.

Investigators, meanwhile, have determined the so-called Chimney Tops 2 fire, which laid waste to whole neighborhoods earlier this week in the resort town of Gatlinburg, was caused by unspecified human activity, officials said.

Total property losses from the fire have been put at more than 700 structures, with most of the destruction in Gatlinburg, known as the "gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains" in eastern Tennessee, about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Knoxville.

In a televised briefing for reporters on Thursday, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said the number of people confirmed killed in the fire was now 10, up from seven deaths reported on Wednesday.

That made Chimney Tops 2 the nation's single deadliest wildfire since 2013, when 19 firefighters perished near Prescott, Arizona.

It also ranks as the largest civilian death toll from a U.S. wildfire since 15 people, including a firefighter, were killed in Southern California's Cedar Fire in 2003, according to Jessica Gardetto, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

None of the Tennessee victims has been publicly identified, but all are presumed to be civilians, officials from the fire command center told Reuters. As many as 45 people have been reported injured.

The blaze erupted on Nov. 23, Thanksgiving eve, in a remote area of rugged, hard-to-reach terrain dubbed Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, authorities said.

Fed by drought-parched brush and trees and stoked by fierce winds, the flames spread quickly days later, igniting numerous spot fires and exploding on Monday into an inferno that roared out of the park into surrounding homes and businesses.

"The wildfire was determined to be human-caused and is currently under investigation," according to a bulletin released on Thursday by fire commanders and the National Park Service. It gave no further details.

Aerial television news footage showed the burned-out, smoking ruins of dozens of homes surrounded by blackened trees in several neighborhoods.

Steady rains on Tuesday night and into Wednesday helped firefighters slow the blaze, but officials as of Thursday morning were still reporting zero containment around a fire zone that spanned more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares).

"The fire is not out; it is just knocked down," fire operations chief Mark Jamieson said in the bulletin.

Some 14,000 people were forced to flee their homes at the height of the fire, and most of Gatlinburg, a city of nearly 4,000 residents, remained under a mandatory evacuation on Thursday.

Evacuation orders were lifted on Wednesday for the nearby town of Pigeon Forge, home of country music star Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood. </s> Two juveniles face charges of aggravated arson in connection with a deadly Tennessee wildfire that began in late November and spread to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, according to Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Additional charges are being considered, 4th District Attorney General James Dunn said, including the possibility of seeking a transfer to adult criminal court.

Fourteen people lost their lives in the fires and a further 134 were injured, according to officials. Residents and visitors to the resort-heavy area were among the dead.

Developing story - more to come </s> GATLINBURG, Tenn. – The Latest on wildfires in Tennessee that killed seven people and destroyed hundreds of buildings (all times local):

A Tennessee mayor says three more bodies have been recovered after the wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to seven.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Wednesday that officials believe more than 400 buildings have been damaged in the county. He also noted that three people who were trapped after the wildfires Monday night have been rescued. He did not go into details about the rescue, and said authorities have not positively identified the dead.

He says search-and-rescue missions are ongoing.

Authorities say the wildfire that spread embers and flames into Gatlinburg, igniting new blazes and forcing thousands to evacuate, is now 10 percent contained.

Officials say it's the third-largest ongoing fire in the Southeast.

A Wednesday report from the federal team managing the blaze says the Chimney 2 Fire in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is more than 15,600 acres — about 25 times the size of the University of Tennessee's main campus in Knoxville.

Though rain has fallen Wednesday, fire officials say the wildfire threat isn't over.

Bonnie Strawser, with the team of fire officials working to suppress the blaze, said the fire "could still rear its head." Strawser said rainfall reports Wednesday night or early Thursday should provide a better picture of how much rain has fallen on the fire.

The mayor of Gatlinburg says officials are discussing re-opening the city later this week after wildfires forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists.

Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner said Wednesday that the resort mountain city may re-open Friday so business owners can assess the damage and hopefully begin paying their employees again.

He says the evacuation orders must remain in place until then because there are still areas that haven't been searched and places where power lines are down.

The wildfires killed four people and injured dozens more.

A Tennessee mayor is confirming another fatality in the wildfires that swept through the Great Smoky Mountains, raising the death toll to four.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters also said Wednesday that nearly four dozen people had been injured in the fires.

The wildfires destroyed more than 150 buildings. Heavy rain fell early Wednesday, which is helping put out some of the wildfires, but officials say more than 200 firefighters are still out battling flames and hotspots.

Rain is moving through a Tennessee tourism region ravaged by wildfires, but officials say there are still active fires in the area.

Tod Hyslop, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Morristown, Tennessee, says the Gatlinburg area got about ¾ of an inch to 1 inch of rain overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

He says rain will pick up midday Wednesday through the afternoon and taper off about 4 or 5 p.m. The system is moving slowly, which increases the chances of more rain.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dean Flener said any rain will help, but the fires are still an "ongoing situation."

A Tennessee tourist mecca is emerging from the smoke, charred and vacant.

During wildfires Monday night, many buildings in Gatlinburg were burned to their foundation. Hotel fire alarms eerily echoed through empty streets lined with burned out cars Tuesday evening.

Three people were killed. The fire destroyed at least 150 buildings, including iconic homes and a resort. Other buildings and attractions remained largely intact, including the Dollywood amusement park in nearby Pigeon Forge.

Wildfires have been burning for several weeks across the drought-stricken South. But Monday marked the first time homes and businesses were destroyed on a large scale.

Gatlinburg, a city that opens up to 11 million visitors annually, is facing a new reality. But Mayor Mike Werner, who lost his home, says his town will pull together and recover. </s> Investigators have determined the so-called Chimney Tops 2 fire, which laid waste to whole neighborhoods in the resort town of Gatlinburg earlier this week, was caused by unspecified human activity, officials said.

Total property losses from the fire have been put at more than 700 structures, with most of the destruction in Gatlinburg, known as the "gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains," in eastern Tennessee, about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Knoxville.

A total of 11 people were killed in the fire, up from seven deaths reported Wednesday, according to Dean Flener, a spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

That made Chimney Tops 2 the nation's single deadliest wildfire since 2013, when 19 firefighters died near Prescott, Arizona.

It also ranks as the largest civilian death toll from a U.S. wildfire since 15 people, including a firefighter, were killed in Southern California's Cedar Fire in 2003, according to Jessica Gardetto, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

None of the Tennessee victims has been publicly identified, but all were presumed to be civilians, officials from the fire command center told Reuters. As many as 45 people have been reported injured.

The blaze erupted on Nov. 23, Thanksgiving eve, in a remote area of rugged terrain dubbed Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, authorities said.

Fed by drought-parched brush and trees and stoked by fierce winds, the flames spread quickly days later, igniting numerous spot fires and exploding on Monday into an inferno that roared out of the park into surrounding homes and businesses.

"The wildfire was determined to be human-caused and is currently under investigation," according to a bulletin released on Thursday by fire commanders and the National Park Service. It gave no further details.

Aerial television news footage showed the burned-out, smoking ruins of dozens of homes surrounded by blackened trees in several neighborhoods.

Steady rains on Tuesday night and into Wednesday helped firefighters slow the blaze, but by Thursday morning officials were still reporting no containment around a fire zone that spanned more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares).

"The fire is not out; it is just knocked down," fire operations chief Mark Jamieson said in the bulletin.

Some 14,000 people were forced to flee their homes at the height of the fire, and most of Gatlinburg, a city of nearly 4,000 residents, remained under mandatory evacuation on Thursday.

Evacuation orders were lifted on Wednesday for the nearby town of Pigeon Forge, home of country music star Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood. </s> Gatlinburg, Tennessee (CNN) Three people died in raging wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee, that scorched roughly 15,000 acres, showered residents with embers and forced tourists to evacuate from resort communities.

The wildfires, which started Monday, damaged or destroyed more than 250 buildings throughout part of eastern Tennessee that's home to the resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. In a dizzying 24-hour period, though, officials said Tuesday the disaster spared some major tourist attractions.

Evacuees said the fire that spread without warning from the Great Smoky Mountains, surrounding their homes. They were forced to leave with only the clothes on their backs.

"There was flames everywhere," 52-year-old Gatlinburg resident Mark Benzschawel told CNN's Nick Valencia. "It was a firestorm."

Benzschawel said police banged on his door Monday night to wake him and his partner, Denise Bearden. The couple alerted their neighbor, who managed to escape with her dog.

Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said that the three victims killed in the blaze died in separate incidents.

"We pray we don't experience any more fatalities but there are still areas that we're trying to get to because of down trees and down power lines," Miller said.

The fire that sparked the dozen other blazes was started by a person," National Park Service spokeswoman Dana Soehn said without offering further specifics.

The cause of blaze remains under investigation.

During the storm's first 24 hours, strong gusts of up to nearly 90 mph scattered a wildfire's embers across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into nearby communities. Fires fed off drought-stricken trees. Winds knocked down power lines -- contributing to thousands losing electricity. In turn, that led to new fires.

The fire destroyed a number of structures at Gatlinburg's Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa. 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.

Cars parked outside suffered the same fate -- their paint burned to ash, their tires melted away. Uprooted trees leaned on power lines.

Smoke, which turned the sky a bleak gray, continued to drift Tuesday from burned-out vehicles and the charred remains of buildings.

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

On Tuesday, firefighters continued to put out flames and clear fallen trees and telephone poles from roadways, Chief Miller said. But authorities have issued evacuation orders for Gatlinburg and nearby areas including parts of Pigeon Forge.

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. The park was not damaged.

In a statement, Parton said she was heartbroken about the fire damage and had been "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.

Several emergency shelters opened to accommodate evacuees. About 1,300 people stayed overnight at the local community center and park. Nearby the Great Smoky Mountains National Park evacuated employees from the Elkmont and park headquarters housing areas on Monday.

Some residents needed oxygen after inhaling smoke, other huddled near the shelters. Officials in Cocke and Sevier counties have canceled classes for Wednesday.

"We watched a building go down in flames," said one tearful evacuee who firefighters rescued.

Officials said they remain uncertain certain when residents would be able to return to evacuated neighborhoods. A curfew remained in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Some people -- including guests at one Gatlinburg hotel -- could not safely leave the area as the fire advanced Monday night.

"I just see fire everywhere," said Baker.

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.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, who flew over the scorched forest, said the region's damage was "a little numbing" given how "special" it was for the entire state.

"Millions have families have come here and will continue to come here," Haslam said.

Bracing for the threat of more fires

Despite some progress battling the Tennessee fire, officials braced for the possibility of spot fires headed into Wednesday.

"The single greatest concern would be the wind," Miller said. "The greater the wind speed is, it just makes our job a little harder. It creates these additional spot fires."

According to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy, the nearby Great Smoky Mountains were under a high wind warning, with possible wind gusts of up to 60 mph.

The area could be helped by up to 2 inches of rainfall expected overnight. The stormy weather's threat could be twofold: Lightning strikes could spark more fires or the downpour could prompt flash flooding.

"It's a devastating time for us, and for Gatlinburg," Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner said. "We're strong, we're resilient,...we're going to make it." </s> 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> Two juveniles face charges of aggravated arson in connection with a deadly Tennessee wildfire that began in late November and spread to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, according to Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Additional charges are being considered, 4th District Attorney General James Dunn said, including the possibility of seeking a transfer to adult criminal court.

He said the youths were from Tennessee, but not from Sevier County, where the fires started. Neither their ages nor genders were released.

Fourteen people lost their lives in the fires and a further 134 were injured, according to officials. Residents and visitors to the resort-heavy area were among the dead.

The area is a popular tourist destination in eastern Tennessee, home to the Dollywood amusement park and the resort town of Pigeon Forge. Recent heavy rains helped extinguish much of the fire. As of Wednesday, the fire was 64% contained, fire officials reported. Developing story - more to come </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.
The death toll from the wildfire that hit the U.S. town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, rises to 13.