Wildfire smoke and air quality updates: Northeast flights disrupted

Air quality alerts have been issued for states across the Northeast.

ByIvan Pereira, Teddy Grant, and Emily Shapiro
Last Updated: June 9, 2023, 2:56 PM EDT

Hazy and dangerous fumes from ongoing wildfires in Canada have engulfed the skies over much of the East Coast, prompting serious air quality alerts in over a dozen states.

Canadian officials said firefighters are scrambling to put out the blazes. So far this wildfire season, Canada has seen more than 8.7 million acres burned -- an area larger than the state of Vermont.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Jun 07, 2023, 12:49 AM EDT

NYC mayor says air quality expected to 'deteriorate further' Wednesday

The air quality in New York City worsened Tuesday evening and is expected to "deteriorate further" Wednesday afternoon and evening, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

"At this point, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for all five boroughs. While conditions are anticipated to temporarily improve later tonight through tomorrow morning, they are expected to deteriorate further tomorrow afternoon and evening," Adams said.

“Currently, we are taking precautions out of an abundance of caution to protect New Yorkers’ health until we are able to get a better sense of future air quality reports," he said.

Adams said students should still go to school on Wednesday, but New York City public schools won't have outdoor activities.

"These recommendations may change based on updated air quality conditions that come in, but, in the meantime, we recommend all New Yorkers to take the precautions they see fit to protect their health," he added.

Jun 06, 2023, 10:09 PM EDT

Smoke from wildfires visible over Yankee Stadium

Smoke from wildfires from Canada was visible on Tuesday night over Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, as the Yankees played the White Sox, video obtained by ABC News shows.

Jun 06, 2023, 10:01 PM EDT

New York City currently has the worst air quality in the world, data shows

New York City currently has the worst air quality than any other city on Earth, as smoke stemming from wildfires in Canada makes its way across the Northeast, according to the latest data from Swiss technology company IQAir.

Manhattan's skyline is barely visible before sunset as the city is enveloped in smoke from continued wildfires in Canada on June 6, 2023, New York City.
Gary Hershorn

Buildings in lower Manhattan in New York are partially obscured by smoke from Canadian wildfires on June 6, 2023.
Patrick Sison/AP

The air quality index in NYC is at 196 as of Tuesday evening, followed by Doha, Qatar, and Delhi, India.

The next U.S. city on the list is Detroit, which currently places eighth, according to IQAir. Toronto, Canada, sat in ninth place as of Tuesday night.

Jun 06, 2023, 8:18 PM EDT

Who is at most risk from unhealthy air

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has specific guidance for vulnerable groups if the air quality in their area is deemed "unhealthy."

The sun over New York City takes on a red appearance on a hazy morning resulting from Canadian wildfires on June 6, 2023 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

While the agency warns that all people will experience adverse side effects from exposure to the unhealthy air, it said those with heart or lung disease, pregnant people, children and the elderly are most sensitive.

Those groups should consider moving all of their activities indoors until the air quality alert is lifted, the EPA said.

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