Canada wildfires: New York's air quality deteriorates; surpasses Delhi's pollution level
Canada wildfires: Smoke from uncontrolled forest fires in Canada caused air quality in New York City to deteriorate. The weather forecasters expect hazy weather to continue in New York through the rest of the week.
PremiumHundreds of uncontrolled forest fires blazed across Canada causing the air quality of New York city deteriorate. The smoke from the Canadian wildfires poured into the US East Coast and Midwest, with data showing that the pollution level in the city was highest among significant cities worldwide, even surpassing New Delhi, news agency PTI has reported.
According to IQAir, New York City had the highest levels of air pollution among significant cities worldwide on Wednesday morning, surpassing even New Delhi.
Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year flames have mushroomed rapidly in the country's east, making it the worst-ever start to the season. About 3.8 million hectares (9.4 million acres) have already burned, some 15 times the 10-year average, said Federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke with US President Joe Biden on phone to thank him for "critical support" in tackling the blazes. Hundreds of US firefighters arrived in Canada and more are on their way. "We're seeing more and more of these fires because of climate change. These fires are affecting everyday routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality," Trudeau said in a statement on Twitter.
The renowned skyline of New York City became invisible on Wednesday behind a hazy veil of smoke from the Canadian wildfires flowing into the region. Recently in a global air quality report, India was ranked eighth on the list, with Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh being the five most polluted countries in 2022.
Weather forecast for the rest of the week
The weather forecasters expect hazy weather to continue in New York through the rest of the week. AccuWeather forecasters expect “very unhealthy" levels to continue through the rest of the week. The air quality in New York City was listed as “unhealthy" as of Wednesday morning. The haze across the city reduced visibility. Many weather stations in the Big Apple reported visibility of less than a mile.
Other affected areas
In addition to New York, strong smell of smoke, dark skies and breathlessness caught the attention of residents in other cities and towns from Maryland to New Hampshire, reporting low visibility and hazy skies. Some of the worst air quality levels were found in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware, which is located about 24 miles southwest of Philadelphia, spiked an air quality index of 199, which is considered very unhealthy.
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter, “As bad as the smoke and air pollution was on Tuesday, the air quality can be even worse at times across parts of the Northeast on Wednesday and poor air quality is expected to linger in some areas into the weekend," Porter said.
Mask recommended
Porter recommended that if one must spend time outside, to use a high-quality N95 or KN95 mask. “Sleeping with the windows closed and using an air conditioner or fan can be helpful," he said, adding that a HEPA filter can reduce the number of these small particles in the air. Dr. Boris Quennehen, an air quality scientist with Plume Labs, said: "Smoke is made of gases and particles, the same pollutants which are responsible for poor air quality".
As the smoke is forecast to continue spreading across parts of the East this week, air quality alerts have been issued along a nearly 850-mile-long path from South Carolina to New Hampshire. "Intense wildfires have been burning in Alberta, Canada, for more than a month now. Depending on the weather conditions, the smoke from these wildfires can be transported on very large distances, in different directions and at different altitudes," Quennehen said.
“Denver, Colorado, was impacted by smoke from the Canadian wildfires two weeks ago and now it’s the northeast US," he said.
New York City Major Eric Adams urged all residents on Tuesday night to limit outdoor activities this week. Adams said New York City public schools will remain open but “not offer any outdoor activities on Wednesday". New Jersey officials urged residents to limit their time outside due to the poor air quality. For those who must work outside, the state recommended that people wear an N95 mask, several schools in New Jersey cancelled recess and other outdoor activities, due to the air quality across the state.
“People should frequently check the AccuWeather exclusive Plume Labs air quality maps and limit their time outdoors," said Porter, who recommended that if one must spend time outside, to use a high-quality N95 or KN95 mask.
“Sleeping with the windows closed and using an air conditioner or fan can be helpful," he said, adding that a HEPA filter can reduce the number of these small particles in the air.
(With inputs from agencies)Wea
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