JUDGE RULES U.S. PARK OFFICIALS FAILED TO DO ENOUGH DURING FATAL GATLINBURG WILDFIRE
A judge has ruled that U.S. National Park officials did not do enough to keep the public updated as a deadly wildfire spread from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016. The ruling keeps lawsuits over the blaze on track for a potential trial. The judge denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case, saying officials didn’t provide sufficient evidence to show they met obligations to notify park neighbors, visitors and local residents of fire management activities. The fire killed 14 people and caused around $2 billion in damage.