Army helicopters help battle wildfire near Rocky Top
ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — U.S. Army helicopters and Tennessee Highway Patrol will be assisting crews in Anderson County battling a wildfire near Rocky Top.
Friday morning, an Anderson County spokesperson shared that crews are continuing to make progress in containing the fire in the Beach Grove Lane area. As of 8:45 a.m., the wildfire was estimated to be 150 acres in size and 50% contained.
Neighbors left on edge as 150-acre fire burns near Rocky Top
The spokesperson added that two Army helicopters will be flying in 'just as a preventative measure to drop water on inaccessible areas,' per Bruce Miller with the Tennessee Division of Forestry. The helicopters were expected to arrive by 9:30 a.m. and remain on scene all day Friday.
The Tennessee Department of Military shared that both UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Knoxville's 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion are equipped with Bambi Buckets. The apparatuses will be used to provide hundreds of gallons of water to fight wildfires from nearby water sources. The Department of Military added that the helicopters and Tennessee Guardsmen will also be available for other missions that support first responders.
'The Soldiers and aircrews of the Tennessee National Guard are prepared to support firefighting efforts as long as needed,' the Department of Military wrote.
THP was also requested to assist with traffic control on Main Street in Rocky Top.
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Since Wednesday afternoon, Division of Forestry personnel and multiple area fire departments have been on the scene, working to control the fires and protect structures. In Friday morning's update, the spokesperson shared that no injuries have been reported and no structures have been damaged.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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