Dolly Parton is sending prayers to victims and expressing her appreciation for those fighting the wildfires in East Tennessee.
Parton hails from Sevier County, where the fires are currently blazing, and she turned to social media to offer her support to her beloved area.
“I’ve been keeping up with everything going with the fires near my home area,” she writes. “It looks scary on TV, but I’m proud of how everyone in the area has pulled together like they always do. I’m especially proud of the brave men and women who are working to contain the fire. I know there are some folks who have been affected, and I hope that you will join me in saying a prayer for them.”
Sevier County is also the home of Parton’s theme park, Dollywood, which is located in Pigeon Forge. Parton also updated fans on the condition of the park.
“During this time, I’ve also remained in touch with my people at Dollywood who have assured me everything is okay there,” she adds.
Officials in East Tennessee are currently battling two wildfires: the Hatcher Mountain/Indigo Lane fire, which began Wednesday morning, and the Millstone Gap fire, which followed on Thursday.
As of Friday morning, the Hatcher Mountain/Indigo Lane fire is 45 percent contained, according to the Sevier County Emergency Management Agency. It has blazed through approximately 3,739 acres of land and affected more than 100 structures.
According to WKRN, the Millstone Gap fire has affected 800 acres. On the whole, around 11,000 homes have been evacuated and three people have been injured. Evacuation orders remain in effect and schools are closed Friday due to the fires.