KNOXVILLE (AP) — A federal judge dismissed lawsuits filed by victims of a 2016 wildfire that swept through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, saying they failed to specifically claim that the park service failed to alert people about the impending danger.

An order issued by U.S. District Judge J. Ronnie Greer on Feb. 28 dismissed the lawsuits filed by individual plaintiffs but allowed lawsuits filed by insurance companies to continue, news outlets reported.

"We respectfully believe the judge is totally wrong and we will appeal the case immediately," said Gordon Ball, a Knoxville attorney representing families that include more than 400 people, including representatives of 11 of the 14 people killed.

Ball said the legal claim stated that the National Park Service failed to follow its own policy on fire alerts. The suit shouldn't be dismissed because the claim wasn't specific enough, he said.

The fire caused an estimated $2 billion in losses, including about 2,500 buildings that were damaged or destroyed. The fire began in a remote section of the park. Ultimately, hurricane-force winds blew embers into Gatlinburg and downed power lines, sparking more fires.