New York hit with air quality alert as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads
The warning, issued by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health, covers the five boroughs, Long Island, the Lower and Upper Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks.
3 Hazy skies blanketed New York on Saturday as wildfire smoke from Canada triggered an air quality alert across the state.
Ron Adar / M10s / SplashNews.com
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Officials advised New Yorkers to stay indoors and skip strenuous outdoor activity.
Pollution from fine particulate matter — PM2.5 — is expected to push the Air Quality Index over 100, hitting levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions.
3 Officials warned vulnerable New Yorkers to stay indoors as fine particle pollution reached unhealthy levels.
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The tiny particles can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, along with coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. They can also worsen asthma and heart disease.
The alert is expected to remain in effect until Sunday.
It's the latest smoke surge to cloud city skies this year. An alert was also issued in early June, when ozone pollution and wildfire haze from Canada triggered warnings across the tri-state.
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3 Smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires drifted south, clouding skies from the Adirondacks to the Big Apple.
Robert Sabo for NY Post
As of July 23, Canada has seen 3,345 fires in 2025 — scorching over 14 million acres, more than double the 10-year average. More than 50 remain out of control.
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New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
NYC air quality plummets as Canadian wildfire smoke invades US — and more bad air is on the way
New Yorkers were hit with a second day of hazy weather and bad air on Sunday — and more is on the way for this coming week, forecasters warned. The culprit is Canadian wildfires — with more than 550 active blazes in the province of Manitoba alone, and 15 million acres have already been burned across the country. Some of that smoke is starting to drift over the Northeastern US. The Air Quality Index (AQI) reached reached warning levels on Sunday — hanging out consistently above 100 — meaning the elderly, people with respiratory problems and other vulnerable groups should limit time the outdoors. 3 A haze hung over the Big Apple on Sunday. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post Experts have said that while conditions may improve later on Sunday, the coming days could bring even more problems — especially as the heat becomes oppressive. 'While it may improve a little bit later on today or tonight, I think the air quality could go back down again beginning Tuesday and perhaps into Wednesday,' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tom Kines told The Post. He added: 'The big thing is if you've got health issues that could be affected by the poor air quality, like asthma or other respiratory issues, then definitely take it easy.' With a heat advisory warning issued for many parts of the Northeast including New York City from Monday, as the heat index could hit 105, this could exacerbate the air quality issues. New Yorkers were already starting to feel the effects. 'The air does feel a bit heavier. We won't be out as long today as we normally are because of the haziness in the air quality,' Omri Ayalon, 42, a Carroll Gardens resident out with his 9-year-old son, told The Post. 3 Canadian wildfires are triggering air quality warnings in much of the Northeast. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources/AFP via Getty Images 'I felt weird this morning. Light-headed, nauseated to be honest and a little bit dizzy,' Brooklynite Nehemiah Bounds, 27, said. 'I'm going to try to do my daily workout routine indoors tomorrow. I'm definitely feeling the difference today in air quality.' Eray Akil, 38, who was out in the park with his wife and young son, described how it felt like having 'allergies' being outside. 3 Poor quality air can cause issues for sensitive groups. Robert Miller 'I feel like I have allergies today, my son too. Nose is running, a little light headache,' he said. The worst air in the NYC area on Sunday was recorded in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn with an AQI of 133, and outside Flushing Park in Queens, with a AQI of 132. Anything above 150 is considered unhealthy, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Evidence of the smoke pollution was easy for everyone to see. The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building were barely visible from Brooklyn Bridge Park, due to the hazy conditions for much of the day. Kines, the meteorologist, said said that even after this week, more smoke cold invade the northeast. 'This probably won't be the last of it. There's still fires burning up in Canada,' he said.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
New York hit with air quality alert as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads
New York was hit with an air quality alert Saturday as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted across the state. The warning, issued by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health, covers the five boroughs, Long Island, the Lower and Upper Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks. 3 Hazy skies blanketed New York on Saturday as wildfire smoke from Canada triggered an air quality alert across the state. Ron Adar / M10s / Advertisement Officials advised New Yorkers to stay indoors and skip strenuous outdoor activity. Pollution from fine particulate matter — PM2.5 — is expected to push the Air Quality Index over 100, hitting levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions. 3 Officials warned vulnerable New Yorkers to stay indoors as fine particle pollution reached unhealthy levels. Getty Images Advertisement The tiny particles can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, along with coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. They can also worsen asthma and heart disease. The alert is expected to remain in effect until Sunday. It's the latest smoke surge to cloud city skies this year. An alert was also issued in early June, when ozone pollution and wildfire haze from Canada triggered warnings across the tri-state. Advertisement 3 Smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires drifted south, clouding skies from the Adirondacks to the Big Apple. Robert Sabo for NY Post As of July 23, Canada has seen 3,345 fires in 2025 — scorching over 14 million acres, more than double the 10-year average. More than 50 remain out of control.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Smoke descends on Northeastern US. Map shows air quality impacts.
State officials from Maine to New York issued alerts for fine particulate matter, a toxic byproduct of wildfires that is small enough to be inhaled. NEW YORK − Wildfire smoke wafted from Canada to create unhealthy air quality levels across the Northeast on July 26. State officials from Maine to New York issued alerts for fine particulate matter, a toxic byproduct of wildfires that is small enough to be inhaled. Smoky conditions impacted cities including Boston and New York. Canada's fires could produce more smoke blowing into the Northeast through the afternoon, said Brooke Taber, a National Weather Service meteorologist stationed in Burlington, Vermont. Smoke is also causing limited visibility in some areas. Wind changes could provide a respite by the night, Taber said. Montreal had some of the worst air quality in the world due to fires in the Canadian Prairies, the Canadian Press reported, citing IQAir, a Swiss-based monitoring company. Several wildfires burning in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are sending large smoke plumes eastward, according to Quebec's fire provincial agency. Meanwhile, New York City climbed on IQAir's list of cities with unhealthy air levels. Hazy skies and the faint smell of smoke blanketed Manhattan on Saturday. Map shows US air quality Why air quality matters Officials urged people to stay indoors to reduce exposure, and to limit strenuous activity. Exposure can cause short-term effects such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, along with coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. It can be particularly dangerous for people in sensitive groups, such as children, older people and those with chronic health conditions, such as asthma or heart disease. Canada is experiencing another harsh wildfire season in a warming climate. Dozens of wildfires are blazing uncontrolled, according to Canada's natural resources department. In early July, Manitoba's government declared a state of emergency for its historic fires. July 17: Brace for more smoky skies as Canadian wildfires rage Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
