Sounds like he is using green wood or isn't building the fire properly. Or sometimes the fire pits that people build in their back yards using metal rings or stone blocks are built up so tall on the sides that the fire can't get any oxygen and smokes like crazy

Normally the smoke from a well-built campfire like that should be minimal.

P.S. Reading this post I am reminded why I don't go on social media or watch the news too much anymore. Some people have to make a federal case out of everything and never want to find any middle ground. Whatever happened to "yes I have the right to build a campfire in my yard, but I'm going to try to do so in a way that I'm not being a jerk to my neighbors." The Golden Rule....