Ministries Scramble to Help Thousands Forced to Flee Gatlinburg Wildfires

Wildfires raging across the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee forced thousands to evacuate Monday night and threatened Dollywood, one of the area's biggest tourist attractions.

The destruction is having the hardest impact on workers in the service industry, who often live in weekly rental motels, many of which have been burned to the ground, Dick Wellons of Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries told CBN News.

"The meager belongings that they had were consumed by that fire and many of them will not have a place to go back to work" because those businesses were burned, Wellons said.

Listen to the CBN News interview with Dick Wellons of Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries above.

Churches in the area are mobilizing and working with the Red Cross and other local ministries to determine how to best serve evacuees and rescue workers.

"We're trying to be supportive of them, we're trying to reach out to them, show the love of Christ," Wellons said.

Many groups are collecting hygiene products, water, warm clothing, eye drops, snacks, pet food and over-the-counter pain relievers.

According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency at least 100 structures have been damaged, among them a 16-story hotel and an apartment complex in Gatlinburg.

The agency says more than 14,000 residents and visitors are believed to have been evacuated from Gatlinburg.

Several shelters and other facilities have been opened up for those evacuating. Three counties also offered their school buses to aid in emergency transport.