Tennessee wildfire: 13 now dead, residents return to homes

SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn., Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The death toll from the historic wildfire in Tennessee has climbed to more than a dozen, authorities said Friday.

Officials put the toll at 13 Friday afternoon, up from 11 by Thursday's count. Nearly 100 others have been treated for fire-related injuries.

Residents were also allowed to begin returning to their homes in Gatlinburg, many of which were destroyed by the Sevier Fire. About 15,000 people were displaced by the fire earlier this week.

Officials are also taking criticism for an emergency alert to evacuate that wasn't delivered to many residents because of stresses on the cellular networks.

"We're not going to get into Monday-morning quarterbacking," Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said at a news conference Friday. "We did the best we could with what we had, and we're sorry."

Dozens of homes and other structures were destroyed by the fire, which officials said was Tennessee's worst in decades. Federal funds have been made available to local officials and residents through an emergency declaration.

Gatlinburg is a resort town in east central Tennessee near the border with North Carolina.