Brush Fires Erupt In Cosby

Firefighters from departments across Cocke County were called to handle two brush fires in Cosby Thursday afternoon. The first fire broke out on Blessing Road in the Middle Creek Road area. Cosby, Parrottsville, Grassy Fork and Del Rio departments responded to that fire. Crews had to dig fire lines to contain that fire and also protect a couple homes that were in the area.

While that was going on, another fire was discovered off of Trail Hollow Road…that fire located about 1/4 mile from Garvers Chapel Church. The parking lot of that church served as a staging area for fire operations. Cocke County, Cosby, Parrottsville, Del Rio and Grassy Fork departments all came to fight that blaze. Several homes were in danger at one point late Thursday evening…so much so that preparations were being made at Smoky Mountain Elementary to use it as an evacuation center by the Cocke County Emergency Management Agency. Rain began to fall around 6pm which helped fire crews contain that fire and by early evening that fire was contained. The fire in the Middle Creek area was finally contained around 8pm last night. Heavy rains then came into the area dousing what was left of the fires.