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 wide receiver Drake London smiles with wide receiver Chris Blair while maneuvering the ball during minicamp at the team's training facility on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (right) tours the Vine City neighborhood with his senior advisor Courtney English (left). (Matt Reynolds/AJC 2024)

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