The smoke was first visible in downtown Atlanta around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. It was reported as far north as I-285 at Roswell Road in north Fulton and as far east as Snellville in Gwinnett County.

WSB meteorologist Kirk Mellish says the phenomenon can be blamed on clear skies which have allowed a temperature inversion to occur. That means a warm layer of air is currently above cooler air near the surface, which pushed the smoke closer to Earth.

Kirk says vertical mixing after sunrise will dissipate the smoke, clearing the skies later this morning.

The smoke was so thick in some locations that callers to WSB reported burning eyes, noses and throats.

"I'm at the entrance to Stone Mountain Park on hwy 78 and you can't see the mountain," said one caller to WSB.

"Its (the smoke) hanging at tree-top level, like real low cloud cover," said another caller.

22 May 2007