Millions of people in the United States have been advised to wear N95 masks when going outdoors after extremely poor air quality was recorded in the country.
The air quality left an orange haze over certain cities after intense Canadian wildfire smoke crossed over into the country. Most states across the East have been severely affected with New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut issuing air quality alerts to residents. Officials have also recommended that people stay indoors and limit their outdoor activities.
New York will start distributing free masks to residents on Thursday, as officials warned that the dangerous smoky conditions are likely to persist into the weekend.
Most of the smoke traveled from the western province of Nova Scotia to the east in Quebec, where 150 active wildfires are burning. This has been a gradual process as smoke from the wildfires has been making its way into New York since May.
New York responds to bad air quality
The New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, buses and trains in the city have high-quality air filtration systems that make them safe forms of travel.
“This is a temporary situation. This is not Covid,” – New York Governor, Kathy Hochul
It is unlikely that the smoke would clear anytime soon as Environment Canada announced that wildfires are worsening Toronto on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the US Environmental Protection Agency classified the air quality in much of the north-east as “unhealthy” especially for those with respiratory concerns.
Health officials have cautioned people not to exercise outside and to minimise their exposure to the smoke as much as they possibly can. Many companies in the big apple have also opted for a “work from home option” to limit being outdoors.
Canadian officials say the country is shaping up for its worst wildfire season on record. According to reports, the fires across already burned more than 3.8m hectares of land – an area 12 times the 10-year average for this time of year.
