Latest news with #healthadvisory
New York Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Wafts Over New York City
Officials warned that smoke-filled air would blanket the New York City area on Sunday, creating unhealthy conditions for some, as soot and ash from Canadian wildfires drifted across the border. The air quality health advisory, issued on Saturday, will expire on Sunday night, the National Weather Service said. On Saturday, parts of the city reached 136 on the Air Quality Index, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company, briefly making it one of the cities in the United States with the worst air quality. Parts of Massachusetts and New Jersey were also under air quality advisories on Saturday. The index in New York City was predicted to reach a maximum of 120 on Sunday, putting it in the classification of 'unhealthy for sensitive groups,' according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The index could reach 135 in the Upper Hudson Valley and 120 on Long Island. Maps: Tracking Air Quality and Smoke From Wildfires in Canada and the U.S. See maps of where smoke is traveling and how harmful the air has become. The Weather Service advised vulnerable groups, which includes young children and those who have respiratory ailments, to take precautions like limiting strenuous outdoor activity. An index reading of below 50 is considered good. A reading of above 150 means the air is considered 'unhealthy,' and the ill effects might be felt more widely by healthy people. For weeks, smoke from wildfires in Canada has been drifting across the border to the United States during its annual fire season, which usually runs from March to October. Wildfires are a common cause of extended periods of unhealthy air, and fine particles of soot, ash and dust can billow high in the air and be blown for hundreds of miles by prevailing winds. The drifting smoke from Canada's fires has become a growing issue in the United States in recent years. In 2023, wildfires burned more land in Canada than ever before, and created smoke so intense that it turned the skies over New York City a frightening shade of orange. Experts have warned that climate change was turning environments like Canada's forests into a tinderbox. This year, smoke from Canada's wildfires has again drifted south across the U.S. border, inflaming diplomatic relations. This month, six Republican lawmakers wrote to Canada's ambassador to the United States, demanding to know the Canadian government's plan for tackling the wildfires and accusing it of lax forest management. The premier of Manitoba Province in Western Canada, where wildfires have been particularly bad, blasted the letter, accusing the U.S. lawmakers of 'trying to trivialize and make hay out of a wildfire season where we've lost lives in our province.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfires prompt New York air quality alert
An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and its surrounding areas because of smoke from wildfires in Canada. In a post on X, New York state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) issued the advisory for Long Island, New York City Metro, Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, and the Adirondacks on Saturday. Authorities are warning air quality in those regions is "unhealthy for sensitive groups". Wildfires in Canada have forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes, and the smoke drifting over the border has sparked air quality concerns across the northern United States. The air quality index (AQI) is predicted to be above 100 in much of New York state on Saturday, and could reach 135. Alerts are also in place for parts of New England. The AQI measures the severity of pollution in the air and categorises health risks. The higher the number, the more unsafe the air is to breathe. This is not the first time US authorities have issued air quality alerts because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires. In mid-July, a similar alert was issued for Chicago, with additional precautions advised for babies and the elderly. The political implications of the wildfire smoke have also reached Washington. Earlier in July, six members of Congress wrote to the Canadian ambassador complaining that smoke from wildfires was making it difficult for Americans to enjoy their summer. There are currently more than 550 active fires in Canada, with the most concentrated in the province of Manitoba, according to authorities. 6.1 million hectares (15 million acres) of land has been burnt across the country in the past year. May and June were particularly destructive months in western Canada, with roughly 30,000 people forced to evacuate in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where local administrations declared a state of emergency. Scientists have consistently linked the intensifying wildfire seasons to climate change. Canada is believed to be warming at twice the global average rate, and its Arctic regions are heating up at nearly three times the global rate, scientists have warned. Air quality alerts issued in Canada and US as wildfires continue to burn Wildfires scorch North America as crews battle flames US lawmakers write to Canada to complain that its wildfire smoke is spoiling summer
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Canadian wildfires prompt New York air quality alert
An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and its surrounding areas because of smoke from wildfires in Canada. In a post on X, New York state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) issued the advisory for Long Island, New York City Metro, Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, and the Adirondacks on Saturday. Authorities are warning air quality in those regions is "unhealthy for sensitive groups".Wildfires in Canada have forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes, and the smoke drifting over the border has sparked air quality concerns across the northern United States. The air quality index (AQI) is predicted to be above 100 in much of New York state on Saturday, and could reach 135. Alerts are also in place for parts of New AQI measures the severity of pollution in the air and categorises health risks. The higher the number, the more unsafe the air is to breathe. This is not the first time US authorities have issued air quality alerts because of smoke from the Canadian mid-July, a similar alert was issued for Chicago, with additional precautions advised for babies and the political implications of the wildfire smoke have also reached in July, six members of Congress wrote to the Canadian ambassador complaining that smoke from wildfires was making it difficult for Americans to enjoy their are currently more than 550 active fires in Canada, with the most concentrated in the province of Manitoba, according to authorities. 6.1 million hectares (15 million acres) of land has been burnt across the country in the past and June were particularly destructive months in western Canada, with roughly 30,000 people forced to evacuate in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where local administrations declared a state of have consistently linked the intensifying wildfire seasons to climate is believed to be warming at twice the global average rate, and its Arctic regions are heating up at nearly three times the global rate, scientists have warned.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Air quality alert in New York City area due to smoke from Canada wildfires
An air quality alert was issued by the New York State Department of Health on Saturday due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. The air quality health advisory covers New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area, including Long Island, as well as the Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks. The advisory went into effect at noon and expires at midnight. Today is another hot day in the Tri-State Area and more storms could hit the region Sunday. New York says the air quality forecast is "unhealthy for sensitive groups" Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, the air quality index (AQI) is predicted to be greater than 100, and could even reach up to 135 in NYC, which indicates a greater health concern due to fine particles in the air. Put plainly, the AQI helps measure the severity of air pollution and categorizes the health risks. The higher the number, the greater the risk. "People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young, and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician," the NWS alert says. New York health officials recommend limiting strenuous outdoor activities to reduce the risk of adverse health effects when there are elevated levels of pollution, according to the NWS.
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
20 blue-green algae advisories issued for Alberta lakes this summer
Social Sharing Albertans are being reminded to watch out for blue-green algae as they visit lakes this summer, even though the province has yet to experience a prolonged heatwave which people often associate with the potentially toxic blooms. Alberta Health Services has issued 20 advisories for lakes since the end of May. Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, occurs naturally and can look like grass clippings, powder, scum or fuzz floating in the water. While it can be blue-green in colour it can also appear brown or pinkish-red. Some cyanobacteria blooms can produce toxins which can make animals and people sick. The blooms thrive under certain conditions. Often people think of hot weather as driving growth, and while that is true, precipitation can also play a key role in their development, according to Rolf Vinebrooke, who studies cyanobacteria at the University of Alberta. Runoff can carry key nutrients, including phosphorous, into the lakes, he noted. "If you don't have very warm lakes but you do have a lot of precipitation, the phosphorus coming in off the land could actually promote growth by these guys," said Vinebrooke, a professor of biological sciences at the university. "I think that that might actually be what's causing this one because … the temperatures haven't been exceptionally high. So this might actually just be that we've had enough runoff from the land, from rainfall, that they've got enough of that essential nutrient to start growing." With temperatures rising this week, he expects more lakes will be impacted because the heat creates prime conditions for the blue-green algae to grow. And Vinebrooke said the blooms could be even more intense in September given this year's weather patterns. "So this is not going to be over in August possibly." Stay out, experts warn Alberta Health Services warns against swimming or wading in bodies of water where blue-green algae is present. That goes for both people and pets, who should also avoid ingesting the water. Symptoms of contact with the toxins include skin irritation, rash, sore throat, swollen lips, and red eyes. Ingesting contaminated water can lead to fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle or joint pain and in rare cases liver damage. "I want to emphasize that [liver damage] is rare but it's most important to avoid that situation if at all possible," said Dr. Kathryn Koliaska, a medical officer of health with Alberta Health Services. Children are at higher risk if exposed to blue-green algae, according to Koliaska. "Kids are smaller so it's easier for them to become sick from the same amount of exposure," she said. "Plus when kids are out and about and playing in the water and swimming it may be easier for them to swallow some of that water. So pay special attention to kids." People should never drink or cook with untreated water from any recreational body of water and boiling water will not remove cyanobacteria toxins, according to AHS. Koliaska suggests people check the AHS website for advisories before heading to a lake, watch for posted signs, and inspect the water for any signs of the algae. If contact occurs, rinse off right away, watch for symptoms and get medical help if needed, she advised. When it comes to consuming fish caught in contaminated lakes, Koliaska said cooked fillets are generally considered safe to consume, but she advises against eating any of the trimmings or feeding them to pets. Death among people due to exposure is rare, worldwide. But according to the government of Canada, many more animal deaths have been reported after they drink contaminated water or lick algae either off their fur or paws or when it has been washed up on shore. "They'll drink the water unknowingly. And there are toxins produced by blue-green algae that target the liver and or the nervous system. And there are recorded pet deaths caused by blue-green algae around the world probably every year," said Vinebrooke. Toxins can still be present after the obvious signs of blue-green algae disappear from the surface of a lake, according to Vinebrooke.
