The November 2016 wildfires in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park impacted not only the visitor experience, but also the local community on an unprecedented scale. The fires burned more than 10,000 acres inside the national park, and 6,000 acres in other parts of the area. At least 14,000 area residents and tourists were forced to evacuate, while over 2,000 buildings were damaged and/or destroyed.
Contributions from the Great Smoky Mountains Association's Fire Recovery Fund, inclusive of Wild Tribute 4 the Parks donations, helped the families of 17 park employees, volunteers, interns, and other affiliates who lost their homes, vehicles, pets, and all of their belongings in a matter of hours that fateful November night.
Wild Tribute additionally released its Great Smoky Mountains Bear T-Shirt in 2017 to further pay tribute to the recovery efforts. 10% of the shirt's online sales for the year were donated to GSMA.
