Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Just how bad did the wildfire smoke get in your Cobb neighborhood?

Wildfires in North Georgia are affecting the air quality in metro Atlanta.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Wildfires in North Georgia are affecting the air quality in metro Atlanta.
By Ben Brasch
Nov 17, 2016

Cobb County had it worst when it came to dealing with wildfire smoke in metro Atlanta this week.

That's according to a map compiled by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution showing haze levels.

The smoke comes from the wildfires raging in North Georgia as the whole state deals with a historic drought.

Should you be worried about the smoke in metro Atlanta?

From Monday at 6 a.m. to Tuesday at 1 p.m., six observation stations throughout the four-county metro Atlanta area captured smoke levels.

Cobb had some of the highest concentrations in the area from Monday 1 p.m. until Tuesday 7 a.m. — longer than any other part of metro Atlanta during the map's time frame.

In Tate City, wildfires loom and fears mount

Georgia imposed stiff new water restrictions on 52 counties Thursday as a worsening drought threatened the state's supply.

The largest active fire, in Rough Ridge, had burned about 24,765 acres as of Thursday.

About the Author

Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.

Follow Ben Brasch on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Workers at the Atlanta Community Food Bank distribution center are seen uploading food into multiple aisles on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. The organization is utilizing $5 million from its reserves to purchase 6 million pounds of food for distribution over the next four weeks. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

With SNAP benefits in limbo, Atlanta residents step up to help

With SNAP benefits in limbo after a late-Friday Supreme Court decision, many metro Atlanta residents are putting their own money toward supporting those affected.

2h ago

Arctic blast bringing cold shot to metro Atlanta, snow possible in mountains

Temperatures across North Georgia will plunge early next week and could even bring a taste of snow to the state’s tallest mountains.

Prolonged shutdown could force 20% flight cuts, U.S. officials warn

The Federal Aviation Administration started reducing flights Friday at 40 major airports, which includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The Latest

Workers at the Atlanta Community Food Bank distribution center are seen uploading food into multiple aisles on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. The organization is utilizing $5 million from its reserves to purchase 6 million pounds of food for distribution over the next four weeks. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

With SNAP benefits in limbo, Atlanta residents step up to help

2h ago

Arctic blast bringing cold shot to metro Atlanta, snow possible in mountains

Prolonged shutdown could force 20% flight cuts, U.S. officials warn

Featured

Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. It was the first day the Federal Aviation Administration cut flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Prolonged shutdown could force 20% flight cuts, U.S. officials warn

The Federal Aviation Administration started reducing flights Friday at 40 major airports, which includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

With SNAP benefits in limbo, Atlanta residents step up to help

With SNAP benefits in limbo after a late-Friday Supreme Court decision, many metro Atlanta residents are putting their own money toward supporting those affected.

2h ago

Study: Rents for low-wage Atlantans rose 9 times faster than for high earners

Rents for suburban workforce housing in the metro Atlanta region increased by almost 20%, while rents for luxury units increased by 2%, a study said.