The Georgia Forestry Commission said Thursday smoke visible around Troup County was no cause for alarm, but also advised it has stopped issuing burn permits because of the extreme dry conditions.

The forestry commission actually had pulled all burn permits beginning in May. The ban was set to expire at the end of September but has continued.

The smoke is from the fires in North Georgia, said Ray Brundage, a ranger with the forestry service office in Troup County. Atmospheric conditions have carried the smoke from the fires south to the LaGrange area, he said.

“We are out patrolling with a plane every day because of the dry conditions,” Brundage said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages West Point Lake and the adjoining camp grounds, also has made adjustments because of the drought.

No one on corps property is allowed to burn or start a campfire, said David Barr, corps spokesman.

“We stopped allowing campfires last weekend,” Barr said. “We are following suite with what the state is doing with its burn permits.”

The West Point Lake Advisory Committee also announced Thursday it will hold a meeting Dec. 1 at the LaGrange-Troup Chamber of Commerce to update the group on the lake’s low water level as the drought continues.