NYC air quality plummets as Canadian wildfire smoke invades US — and more bad air is on the way
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.
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