For days, a hazy pall has spread across much of northern Georgia, including metro Atlanta, home to 5.7 million people. State officials warned that the air is unhealthy, and cautioned people with breathing problems to stay indoors as much as possible. With state firefighters scrambling to quench the blazes currently active, officials told people to avoid starting new fires that could quickly spread. “We’re a cigar butt away from a disaster,” said John Williams, adventure guide at Amicalola Falls, a state park near the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia