Rain ravages Dollywood; park's climate legacy haunts its future.

Colonialism's Climate Crisis Causes Chaos at Dolly Parton's Dollywood

** Pigeon Forge, TN** — Dolly Parton's Dollywood was forced to shut down yesterday due to flash flooding caused by intense thunderstorms. This extreme weather event is yet another devastating example of the impacts of climate change, which disproportionately affects marginalized communities.

colonialism & capitalism have ravaged our planet, & now we're seeing the effects w/ increased frequency & intensity of natural disasters. yday, it was Dollywood, but tomorrow, it could be ur community.

Videos and images shared on social media by guests showed the extent of the flooding, with people having to wade through ankle-deep and even waist-high waters to evacuate the park. The Pigeon Forge fire and police departments were called in to assist, and it's a testament to their hard work that only one minor injury was reported.

But let's not forget the systemic failures that led to this disaster. Dollywood, like many theme parks, is built on land that was once home to indigenous communities. The rapid development of these parks with little regard for environmental impact has created a perfect storm for flooding events like this.

"Dollywood is supporting guests whose vehicles were submerged by the rising waters," the company said in a statement on Twitter. https://twitter.com/Dollywood/status/1817739585020895286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1817739585020895286%7Ctwgr%5E4a34ccadfb5da553b4b3e76c7784feb9333de74e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpresto-suite.gannettdigital.com%2Fquick-view%2F74584707007%3Fauth%3Dfalse

The company's response is, of course, focused on PR damage control. But where is the acknowledgment of the deeper issues at play here? Where is the recognition that this is about more than just one flooded theme park?

Local news outlets reported that upwards of 4.5 inches of rain fell in the area, leading to the National Weather Service issuing a flash flood warning for Sevier County on Sunday evening. https://x.com/Dollywood for park reopening info

Dollywood is set to reopen at noon today, but let's not forget the larger issue here. Climate change is real, it's happening now, and it's impacting all of us. It's time for systemic change to address the root causes of this crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities.