US air quality alerts: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania among 9 states hit by Canadian wildfire smoke
NWS said residents in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana have been warned to limit outdoor activity due to unhealthy air conditions, especially for sensitive populations.
New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut all remain under Air Quality Action Days through midnight tonight. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has flagged Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties, while the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation extended the alert to all five NYC boroughs and counties north of the city including Westchester, Rockland, Orange, and Putnam.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued alerts for Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex counties until 11 PM.
Across all states, officials are advising sensitive individuals — including children, older adults, and those with asthma, lung, or heart disease — to limit strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities. The New York State Department of Health echoed this concern, urging those at risk to consider consulting a physician if symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest discomfort develop.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) values in affected areas are expected to exceed 100, placing many regions in the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category. Fine particulates (PM2.5), the primary pollutant, are microscopic particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, exacerbating existing health issues and triggering new symptoms in vulnerable populations.
States such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana reported direct impacts from Canadian wildfire smoke, particularly from fires in Manitoba and Ontario. High pressure systems have trapped smoke close to the ground, worsening air quality.
In Michigan, counties across the northern and central parts of the state were affected, with concentrations expected to ease by Wednesday. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources expects smoke to persist throughout the day, with heavier conditions in the northeast.
Vermont: Counties of Bennington and Windham are under alert through midnight due to smoke-driven PM2.5 levels.
Massachusetts: An alert is in effect from 11 AM to 11 PM for Fine Particulates.
Pennsylvania: Issued a Code Orange Alert, indicating unhealthy air for sensitive groups, especially in urban centers.
Indiana: Declared an Air Quality Action Day for fine particulates and advised reducing outdoor exposure.
Officials across all regions recommend the following precautions:
Avoid or limit outdoor exertion, especially if you're in a sensitive group.
Keep windows closed and use air purifiers or HVAC systems with MERV-13 filters or higher.
Avoid activities that worsen air quality, such as burning wood or refueling vehicles during the day.
Monitor symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, or eye irritation — and seek medical advice if they worsen.
Check your local AQI at www.airnow.gov for real-time updates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Hot and humid day for Delhi as rain stays away
New Delhi: The city continued to experience a humid day with "feels like" temperature of 44.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday afternoon. Rains eluded the city for the third day though the IMD predicted light rain in isolated areas over the week with a slight rise in temperature. "The monsoon trough at mean sea level continues to pass through Ferozepur, Karnal, Moradabad, Lakhimpur Kheri, Jalpaiguri, and thence northeastwards to Arunachal Pradesh, close to the foothills of the Himalayas. The trough from central parts of north Uttar Pradesh to northern parts of Kutch across East Rajasthan and north Gujarat between 3.1 and 4.5 km above mean sea level persists," stated IMD. The maximum temperature was recorded 34.8 degrees Celsius while, the minimum temperature was recorded 26.1 degrees Celsius. The humidity oscillated between 60% and 85%. The winds were westerly and south-westerly with a peak wind speed of 11 kmph. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The maximum temperature on Thursday is likely to go up to 36 degrees Celsius with the possibility of very light to light rain. Meanwhile, AQI remained satisfactory at 91. tnn
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
A road map to mitigate Delhi's pollution crisis
We are months away from Delhi becoming unliveable again. Every breath then will cut years off the lives of its residents. Progress in technology, infrastructure, and economic growth is meaningless if the air we breathe is toxic. Delhi produces about 11,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily; yet, over half of it ends up in overloaded landfills, causing land and water pollution. (Hindustan Times) In 2021, the annual average level of particulate matter of a diameter less than 2.5 micron (PM2.5) peaked at 126.5 µg/m3 — more than 25 times the safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). During winter, these levels soar, flooding hospitals with respiratory patients. According to the 2023 Air Quality Life Index, pollution claims up to 25,000 lives annually in Delhi alone, shortening life expectancy by about 6.3 years. The economic toll is also staggering. Estimates peg GDP loss at 3%, roughly $100 billion annually, due to disrupted work, soaring health care costs, and decreased productivity. Low-income families often left unprotected against toxic fumes are the most vulnerable. To breathe safely has become a privilege. Despite this, policymakers have offered only temporary band-aids. Bureaucracy, overlapping authorities, and political apathy have failed the people. It is a failure of governance and of moral responsibility. The time for excuses has run out. The only option left is radical, decisive action. What must be done? Burning of biomass is the single-largest contributor to Delhi's air pollution, responsible for nearly 60% of PM2.5 emissions annually. Burning dung, firewood, and agricultural waste releases vast amounts of particulate matter, especially in winter. Policies promoting clean cooking fuels like LPG — with subsidies of 75% — starting in NCR+ areas need to be enforced and community biomass plants with subsidies for transition provided, even as traditional cooking methods and agricultural waste burning are phased out. Contributing approximately 31% of PM2.5, industrial processes and thermal power plants are the second-largest source of Delhi's pollution. Delhi-NCR hosts 12 thermal power plants with a total capacity of 13.2 GW, but only seven comply with the 2015 emissions standards. The outdated and poorly regulated plants emit pollutants that jeopardise both health and the environment. Accounting for 8% of total emissions, brick kilns are another large factor of Delhi-NCR's air pollution. Currently, around 4,608 kilns are operating primarily in areas such as Baghpat and Bulandshahr, making India's brick production industry the second-largest globally, trailing only China. Present methods employed by these kilns release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, and also expedite soil degradation and groundwater depletion. Mandatory flue gas desulphurisation in thermal plants must be enforced in accordance with the applicable emission standards, outdated plants older than 35 years must be shut with cleaner technologies replacing these. At the brick kilns, adoption of zigzag technology — arranging bricks in a zigzag pattern to enhance heat transfer and combustion efficiency, leading to reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions — must be accelerated. SMEs must be shifted to electric boilers, supported by rooftop solar. Industrial zones must have efficient waste management, with quarterly emission reporting and public disclosures. Establish efficient waste management in industrial zones. Responsible for roughly 8% of PM2.5 emissions, Delhi's vehicles are a significant but addressable pollution source. The dominance of older, polluting vehicles and slow adoption of electric mobility hinder air quality improvement. India is witnessing rapid growth, where two-wheelers and three-wheelers account for about 95% of total EV sales. Delhi, however, contributes only 5% of this figure. The need is to transition all delivery two-wheelers to electric within two to three years, retrofit or replace two-wheelers older than 10 years within 24 months. All new autorickshaws must be electric, and those older than eight years replaced within the next year (older than five years replaced in the next two years). All 30,000 taxis older than eight years must be replaced with EVs over the next two years. Procure and deploy 5,000 new electric public and school buses within three years. Delhi produces about 11,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily; yet, over half of it ends up in overloaded landfills, causing land and water pollution. Its sewage treatment capacity is far below the volume of wastewater generated; untreated sewage flows into the Yamuna, polluting its waters and endangering public health. Despite some efforts, ineffective waste segregation, inadequate treatment infrastructure, and neglect of urban sanitation have only compounded the crisis. Waste segregation at source, modelled after Surat's, must be enforced with digital monitoring and penalties. Modern, decentralised sewage treatment plants must be set up and old infrastructure repaired. Focus on formalising waste picking, expanding recycling, and supporting circular economy practices. The city must prioritise land reclamation and beautification, turning contaminated sites into green spaces. Municipal governance must be strengthened with data-driven management, akin to Bhubaneswar's, and public participation promoted through community cleanup drives and awareness campaigns. There must also be regular public disclosure of pollution data, with community-led monitoring. Regional cooperation is another focus area, with collaboration with neighbouring states key to reducing external pollution; the aim must be to bring PM2.5 levels by 40-50% from the 2023 standards by 2028. By 2036, India's population could reach 1.5 billion, and if growth remains unplanned, our cities will be swallowed by unsustainable expansion. In Delhi-NCR alone, real estate prices have skyrocketed by 57% since 2019, yet infrastructure remains woefully inadequate to support this surge. Residents are caught in a vicious cycle of mismanagement: government agencies, planners, and industries repeatedly neglect their responsibilities, turning urban growth into a ticking environmental time bomb. To remedy this, implement comprehensive master planning — focused on walkability, green spaces, and sustainable growth. Enhance public transport and de-incentivise car dependence while promoting citizen involvement in urban development. Every delay exacerbates the health crisis — especially for Delhi's most vulnerable demographics. Delhi must realise that progress without clean air is hollow. The city's survival hinges on an urgent pursuit of environmental justice, underlined by a policy overhaul, tech innovation, community push, and regional unity. Amitabh Kant was India's G20 Sherpa and is the former CEO of NITI Aayog. The views expressed are personal.
News18
6 hours ago
- News18
Delhi records high of 34.8 deg C; AQI satisfactory
Last Updated: New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Delhi on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 34.8 degrees Celsius, 1.4 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature was recorded at 26.1 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degree below the normal, the Met office said. The relative humidity at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm was 80 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively, it said. The IMD has forecast generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle for Thursday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to settle around 35 and 25 degrees Celsius, respectively. The air quality was recorded in the 'satisfactory' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 91 at 4 pm on Wednesday, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. According to CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. PTI SSJ ARI view comments First Published: August 06, 2025, 20:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
