Photo via Twitter (Eric Bordelon)

Yesterday, the marsh fire in New Orleans was but a specter of reduced air quality. Well, we thought, we have those all the time. But, depending on which way the wind was blowing, today we could smell it and the city looked like it was stuck in an art film. So, things seem to be a little more pressing. This afternoon, the mayor's office provided more details on the blaze, which is raging but "100% contained" out between Chef Menteur Highway and Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Refuge in Michoud.

The fire is suspected to have started Thursday night as a result of a lightning strike. So far, 1,300 acres have burned in the swampy area, and about 1,000 acres are left to burn. The area of the fire is completely water locked, so it will  remain a non-threat to property or people, according to NOFD.

The fire is being fed by chinaberry, willow trees and compacted layers of peat moss under the marsh. The New Orleans Fire Department doesn't equipment that can get to the fire. NOFD Chief Charles Parent also told the press this morning that he was worried about snakes and gators. So, they're either (1) hoping for a strong afternoon thunderstorm, or (2) looking to enlist state or federal equipment that will enable them to put the blaze out.

As for the smoke, that's a little bit more of a problem. A plume of smoke has been shown blowing out toward the Gulf. But when the wind blows in the other direction, the city gets the brunt of it. Air quality remains at a level that is unsafe for "at-risk groups," which include children, the elderly and people with respiratory disease. The levels are expected to stay in that range tomorrow, according to a state forecast that is updated regularly.

The National Weather Service is predicting the smoke to settle overnight, potentially causing reduced visibility for drivers, especially on the areas of I-10 and I-510 near the scorcher.

Here's an overhead image of the plume from SkyTruth.