On Wednesday, a yellow blanket of haze covered the skies of New York and several other cities as smoke from Canadian wildfires made its way southwards. The northeastern US experienced a pungent haze caused by the smoke, which contained noxious gases and particulate matter. As a result, air quality alerts were issued in over a dozen US states on Wednesday.
Canada wildfires shroud New York in apocalyptic haze. #AFP
— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) June 8, 2023
📸 @timothyaclary
📸 @angelaweissfoto pic.twitter.com/dXoGB51aQw
Overview
New York's air quality was among the world's worst, ranking second. The city's iconic skyline, which is typically visible for miles, disappeared under a thick blanket of smoke.
According to US private forecasting service AccuWeather, thick haze and soot extending from high elevations to the ground level marked the worst outbreak of wildfire smoke in the northeastern US in over 20 years.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued air quality alerts. “Not a great deal of air quality improvement is anticipated tomorrow as smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada continues to filter southward,” the NWS tweeted.
Furthermore, US President Joe Biden urged Americans affected by the smoke to follow official guidelines. “It’s critical that Americans experiencing dangerous air pollution, especially those with health conditions, listen to local authorities to protect themselves and their families,” Biden tweeted. He also mentioned that the government is in close touch with state and local leaders to ensure they have the necessary support.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement urging people to stay indoors and wear high-quality masks to reduce exposure when outside. Hochul said the government had monitored the situation for over a week. “Normally, our air quality index (AQI) is around 50 [...] The index hit 400 in parts of our state [which] is an 800 per cent increase,” she remarked.
Smoke and haze from the wildfires ravaging swaths of Canadian forest have reached the eastern United States.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 7, 2023
The D.C. area has Code Red air quality for the first time since 2011 that wasn't related to the Fourth of July and New York City officials warn ‘unprecedented’ smoke… pic.twitter.com/DhFL7a0tbs
Unhealthy AQI, Health Problems, Slowing Air Traffic, Appeal to Stay Indoors
Health officials have warned that spending time outdoors might lead to severe respiratory problems because of high levels of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere.
An Air Quality Health Advisory was also issued for New Yorkers by the Department of Environmental Conservation, forecasting the air quality to reach ‘unhealthy’ AQI levels in several parts of New York on 8 June. The situation has resulted in the cancellation of school outdoor activities and reduced air traffic.
Parts of the US have been engulfed in smoke from across the Canadian border, where wildfires have affected 9.4 million acres of forests and led to the evacuation of around 120,000 people from their homes. Almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and territories are affected by an unusually early start to the country’s worst-ever wildfire season.
Experts have attributed the country’s ongoing wildfire season to the negative impacts of climate change, which has led to hotter, drier weather and longer fire seasons.