Sevier County citizens and officials are reaching out to help those impacted by wildfires.
Officials from across the state are offering services and assistance to those who have lost their livelihood to fires, including connecting those impacted with unemployment benefits, insurance adjusters and building permit applications.
A job bank is also being established to connect those who have temporarily lost their jobs with available employment. A GIS map has been posted to show the areas affected by the fire, and will be updated by authorities. You can also find an interactive map here.
The Sevier County Economic Development Council is asking Sevier County businesses that can offer temporary employment for displaced workers to contact them. They are asking those business to head to www.SCEDC.com to fill out an online form to establish a jobs bank.
For those wishing to file unemployment insurance and apply for building permits, the county is asking people to head to Boyd's Bear Countywide Supply distribution Center off 149 Cates Lane in Pigeon Forge. The center will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
If your home has been destroyed, you are asked to contact your insurers first before heading to the distribution center to meet with representatives from the Tennessee Department of commerce and Insurance.
Those wishing to learn more about specific property damage can head to Sevier County's home page, or the Chimney Tops 2 Fire resource page on Facebook.
If you can't find your home listed, you may also call the call center at (865) 430-7384.
Of course, for those not affected wishing to volunteer or find out more information not listed here, you can head to the State of Tennessee's resource page on the efforts in Sevier County at this link. There, you can find information about financial institutions impacted, how to hire a contractor, health information, housing assistance, insurance help and more.
You can also learn more about volunteer opportunities at Volunteer East Tennessee.