New York City’s five boroughs remain under an Air Quality Health Advisory as a result of smoke drifting south from massive wildfires in Canada.
The City skyline has been blanketed in a smoky haze since Tuesday, with more smoke expected to move into the northeast regions of the United States possibly until Friday.
Air quality alerts have been issued in at least 17 US states, mainly in the country’s northeast and midwest regions.
The smoke-laden skies of New York City are an unhealthy status for residents who have been urged to stay indoors if they can help it while outdoor activities at all schools have been cancelled.
The City’s Mayor Eric Adams says, “The screenshots really show you the mist in the clouds. It was over our city. We had dangerously high levels of wildfire smoke from thousands of miles away. From the gloom over Yankee Stadium to the smoky haze scurrying our skyline.”
“We could see it. We could smell it. And we felt it. And it was alarming and concerning. Last night at 10 pm, the air quality index hit 218, a very unhealthy level, the levels of health concern really sent shockwaves across the entire city and this region.”
New York City topped the list for the world’s worst air pollution for several hours on Tuesday, due to the effects of more than 400 bushfires currently burning across several provinces in Canada most notably Quebec.
Hundreds of firefighters from around the world including from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and the United States are on the ground assisting Canadian authorities in battling the flames.
Officials here have also recommended high-quality mask-wearing to mitigate breathing in the toxic air.
