Firefighters worked to suppress the Fire Creek Fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
Firefighters are battling a wildfire burning in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, leading to trail and campsite closures.
According to the National Park Service, the Rabbit Creek Fire is burning near the trail by the same name and the northwest backcountry campsite 16. The fire sparked on Sunday and has consumed 47.5 acres, with containment at 25% as of Tuesday.
Due to the fire, temporary closures are in place for the Rabbit Creek Trail from Abrams Creek Campground to Hannah Mountain Trail and Cooper Road Trail from Abrams Creek Campground to Little Bottoms Trail. Both the Backcountry campsite 16 and Abrams Creek campgrounds are closed to all visitors.
The cause of the Rabbit Creek Fire remains under investigation.
NPS rangers say the fire is not connected to planned prescribed burns within the park system.
Almost 75 of Tennessee is under some form of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in an area of severe drought.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the national park system’s most visited park in the U.S. with more than 11.5 million visitors last year.
