To a Moslem, smoke is symbolic of prophecies
Huzafa narrates that Mohammed (pboh) said: "Qiyamah (LAST JUDGEMENT) will not come till you see ten signs, which are: Smoke which spreads throughout the East and West for forty days; Dajjal; Da'aba, a four-legged beast of the length of 60 yards. He will have the stick of Musa [Moses] and ring of Sulaiman [Solomon]. In running he will have no equal. He will strike Mu'min with Musa's stick and will mark the word Mu'min on his face and similarly put the stamp of Kafr [Star of David] on the face of the Kafr; Rising of the sun from the West; Descent of Isa ibn Maryam [Jesus]; Juj and Majuj [Gog and Magog]; Sinking of the earth at three places, East, West, and Arabian Gulf; Fire which will emanate from one side of Aden and drive the people to Hasr.
http://www.rexresearch.com/prophist/phf5mos.htm
Read twice post once.
Sorry, I thought this was the claim that the smoke in the city not being all that big a deal.
That last one would easy enough to arrange....