On November 28, 2016, winds of up to 80 mph carried burning embers from the Chimney Tops 2 wildfire in Great Smoky Mountains National Park into Gatlinburg and surrounding communities. The embers ignited drought-parched vegetation, spreading fire through neighborhoods and forcing more than 14,000 people to flee or evacuate. Fourteen people lost their lives.

The boyhood home of naturalist and author, Stephen Lyn Bales, was just one of over 2000 houses that burned to the ground. His parents spent their entire marriage in the structure built by his father Russell and grandfather Homer in 1949. Photo by Bales

Ten years later, what can we learn from that disaster? The UT Arboretum Society will explore that question in a free Zoom program on Thursday,  November 5, at 7 p.m. UT Arboretum education coordinator Michelle Campanis and naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales, a former Gatlinburg resident, will discuss the book, “Rising From the Ashes,” published in 2022 by the University of Tennessee Press. Drawing on the book’s firsthand accounts, they will examine the lessons of the 2016 wildfires and their relevance as communities face a changing climate.

This November Nature Supper Club presentation is hosted by the UT Arboretum Society and The American Museum of Science and Energy. The presentation is free but you must register to receive your Zoom link and a copy of the recording. Register at www.utarboretumsociety.org/Programs. Closed captions are available. For more information or registration questions, contact Michelle at mcampani@utk.edu.

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society (UTAS) is the arboretum’s volunteer organization and is celebrating its 61st year in 2026. UTAS was formed in 1965 to support and enhance the University of Tennessee Arboretum. UTAS is the longest standing volunteer organization in the University of Tennessee system statewide.

The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center celebrates its 62nd anniversary in 2026. It is one of the ten University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture AgResearch and Education Centers located throughout Tennessee. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.