Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) Commissioner Burns Phillips has announced the Department has received a $5,824,000 grant from the United States Department of Labor to assist in recovery efforts following a wildfire in Sevier County last November. The U.S. Department of Labor approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant, with $2 million released initially, to create disaster relief employment for individuals to assist in clean-up and recovery efforts following the wildfire that started on November 28, 2016 in the Great Smoky Mountains. The wildfire spread to near-by Gatlinburg in Sevier County and killed 14 people, damaged 2,460 structures, 70 of which were businesses.  Hundreds of workers were dislocated as a result of the wildfire. “The Department will receive the initial funding up-front, the remaining monies will be used as needed to assist in the recovery effort,” said Commissioner Phillips.  “My team will work with leaders of the Local Workforce Development Area in Sevier County to identify which local programs will best utilize these funds.” TDLWD applied for the federal assistance in the weeks following the wildfire. The federal grant is expected to help approximately 200 Tennessee workers.