GATLINBURG, Tenn.—In the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, a Tennessee tourist mecca emerged from the smoke, charred and vacant after a swift-moving wildfire. Many buildings were burned to their foundations. Hotel fire alarms echoed through empty streets lined with burned-out cars.
The fire picked its spots as it tore through the Gatlinburg area Monday: It destroyed at least 150 buildings but left others intact. Three people were killed and more than a dozen were hospitalized.

Burned out frames side-by-side utility vehicles sit at the side of the road in Gatlinburg, Tenn., on Nov. 29, 2016. AP Photo/Erik Schelzig