Smoke from the fires burning in North Georgia prompted the Falcons to move their Thursday practice to their indoor facility.

“I didn’t know what really was going on,” Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said after the practice. “I thought they were joking about the smoke, then when I got outside I realized it wasn’t a joke. I was glad we went inside. It felt healthier.”

Fires have burned through more than 6,400 acres in Georgia and also scorched land in Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. Chanel 2 Action News reports that wind is blowing smoke from the fires into metro Atlanta and the haze is expected to linger.

Officials in Rabun County said arson is suspected .

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) leaves the field after the game where the Carolina Panthers defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime 30-27, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025.  (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

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