Canadian wildfire smoke blanketed the New York City area on Wednesday, prompting officials to issue air quality alerts.

The hazy skies in the Northeast United States resulted from more than 100 wildfires burning in Canada.

The wildfire smoke comes amid brutal heat that’s pushing temperatures close to 100 degrees in some areas.

“Air quality has reached unhealthy levels in parts of NYC due to smoke from Canadian wildfires moving through the city. Poor air quality affects everyone, but some people are more sensitive to it than others, including people with heart or lung conditions, older adults, pregnant New Yorkers, and infants and children,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

“Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, head to a cool space indoors with AC if possible, and follow @NYChealthy guidance,” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

More from The New York Times:

In New York, city officials warned of “the possibility of deteriorating air quality” throughout the day Wednesday, but noted that even the most severe forecasts did not approach the levels seen in 2023, when the Canadian wildfire smoke sent the city’s air quality index surging to dangerous levels. Still, they said, echoing the warnings of officials across the region, people with health conditions that make them sensitive to polluted air should take caution.

The heat dome, an area of high pressure in the atmosphere, was visible on satellite imagery on Tuesday as an area of clear sky over the middle of the country, where the surrounding air moves clockwise. On the ground, it manifests as a hot, humid and smoky stew that can make just stepping outdoors an unpleasant task.

Across much of the United States and southern Canada, weather officials have placed tens of millions of people under heat warnings, with high temperatures from the upper 90s to above 100 degrees expected in many places on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service said that nearly 100 million people from the Dakotas into New England would be under its “major” or “extreme” warning levels for dangerous heat. Environment Canada, the country’s weather service, said that, through Wednesday, southern Ontario would be under an orange alert, the second most severe in its three-tier system.

At least 17 wildfires spanning thousands of acres have forced evacuations across Minnesota, according to state officials, as flames spread through the state’s northeastern wilderness and into Canada.

Check out footage below:

ABC7 New York has more:

The Westchester County Health Department is urging residents to take extra precautions as a combination of extreme heat, high humidity and smoke from Canadian wildfires creates unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups.

Governor Kathy Hochul warned New Yorkers that smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada, combined with high temperatures, will lead to poor air quality across much of the state.

ADVERTISEMENT

The smoke is expected to move across New York throughout the day and may be visible in the sky.

“Please take this heat seriously. When it is this hot and humid, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, and take frequent breaks from outdoor work if it cannot be rescheduled,” said Westchester County health commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler. “Take time to cool off and spend time in air-conditioned places. Infants, those with asthma, pregnant women, older adults and those with heart disease or other respiratory or heart conditions should spend less time outdoors until the air quality improves and the temperature cools. Be mindful of possible health effects such as coughing or shortness of breath.”

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.