GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — It’s been almost seven years since deadly wildfires roared through Gatlinburg and Sevier County. With the Hawaiian island of Maui still burning in areas, those who lived through the 2016 fires are reminded of the devastation they saw.

Destruction and devastation in the aftermath of the deadliest wildfire in US history hit close to home for those that lived in the Gatlinburg area in 2016 during the Chimney Tops 2 fire.

“It’s so cliché, things can be replaced but those lives cannot and I’m devastated at the number of lives lost,” Sevier County resident Becky Williams said. She lost her home in the 2016 fires. “We are very fortunate we didn’t lose that many in Gatlinburg. It’s sad the ones that did die and my heart goes out to those families who have had a lifelong dealing of the aftermath of the fire. Life will never be the same for them.”

Despite all of the destruction, there are some positives that came out of the fires.

“If there was anything positive to come out of the fires, and there was very little, but one of the things was seeing how folks helped one another,” Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said. “From the night of the fires we had our citizens going door to door in their neighborhoods getting people out and that continued, folks helping them.”

That same act of kindness to neighbors is showing back up in support of those on Maui.

“It’s sort of Déjà vu you know. You feel for the community because you know what they are going through. You know the tragedy involved, the loss of life, the homes and businesses and how that has a devastating affect on a community,” Waters said. “You certainly feel for them and pray for them and I know we have churches and other folks here in the county that are sending assistance to the folks in Maui.”

As those cleanup and recovery efforts on Maui continue, so does the outpouring of support from those who have lived through this type of natural disaster. Several churches and other charitable organizations in Sevier County have banded together to do what they can to help those in Hawaii.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated.