Canadian wildfire smoke brings hazy skies to Massachusetts
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is expected to cast a haze over the skies and diminish air quality in Massachusetts.
The sun is out across much of western Massachusetts on Wednesday however, the sky is very hazy from wildfire smoke. This is wildfire smoke high in the atmosphere from Canada. The smoke gets caught in the upper levels of the jet stream and gets carried east, giving the smoke here in New England.
Winds push smoke from Canadian wildfires south into US and compromise air quality
The smoke may be noticeable in New England until Friday.
A 22News viewer sent a zoomed-in in of the smoky sunrise on Wednesday. If you have any photos or videos, email us at ReportIt@wwlp.com.
An air quality alert has been issued for Hampden County until 11 p.m. The state has several air quality sensors in western Massachusetts, one in Ware near the Quabbin, one at Westover in Chicopee, and one at the State Police Barracks in Springfield. These sensors track five major air pollutants: ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and aerosols.
Exposure to poor air quality can lead to headaches, irritated eyes, coughing, and difficulty breathing, especially for those with respiratory conditions like asthma. Young children, seniors, and pregnant women are also at a higher risk.
To check the air quality where you live, visit AirNow.gov. When the reading reaches 201, the air is considered 'very unhealthy.'
At the 'unhealthy' level, the EPA warns that some may experience health effects, while those who are considered more sensitive — children, the elderly, those who are pregnant, and those with health complications — may experience more serious health effects.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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