Wildfire smoke and air quality updates: Northeast flights disrupted
Air quality alerts have been issued for states across the Northeast.
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.
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Latest forecast
Waves of smoke will continue to move south Thursday from New York City to Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
By Friday morning the AQI levels will drop for New York City. Smaller smoke plumes will linger from Detroit to Pittsburgh to D.C.
By Saturday and Sunday, the winds will begin to switch and blow smoke away from the U.S.
-ABC News' Max Golembo
Some NY, NJ school districts modify schedules
Some school districts in New Jersey and New York announced closures or updated schedules for Thursday amid the heavy smoke in the area.
In New York, school has been canceled in the Freeport, Long Beach and Yonkers districts, according to New York ABC station WABC.
In New Jersey, school has been canceled in the Newark, Elizabeth, Union and Orange districts, WABC reported.
Officials at Elizabeth Public Schools said they'd attempted to continue a normal schedule by holding indoor recess on Wednesday.
"As the day advanced and the air quality worsened, we consulted with both health officials who updated their recommendation to close school buildings tomorrow, Thursday, June 8," Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer said in a letter to parents.
1 million N95 masks to be made available Thursday in New York
One million N95 masks will be made available for people at state sites in New York on Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday.
Officials will distribute 400,000 masks at MTA stations, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, state parks and the Javits Center, Hochul said. About 600,000 masks will be available from the state’s Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services, the governor said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday visited New York City Housing Authority residents to deliver masks, according to his office, which released photos and a short video on Twitter.
-ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Ahmad Hemingway
Biden speaks to Trudeau about wildfires: White House
President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke Wednesday about the wildfires in Canada, the White House said.
Biden offered additional assistance and also discussed the health impact of the fires, according to the White House.
"To date, the United States has deployed more than 600 U.S. firefighters and support personnel, and other firefighting assets to respond to the fires," the White House said in a statement.
Trudeau also tweeted that "hundreds" of American firefighters have arrived in Canada, "and more are on the way."
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
What to know about the Air Quality Index from wildfire smoke and how it affects human health
Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, which are microscopic solid or liquid droplets -- often 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair -- that can be inhaled and cause serious health problems, according to the EPA.
PM2.5 is considered unhealthy for "Code Orange" and sensitive groups once the Air Quality Index surpasses 100, according to AirNow, a website that publishes air quality data. Once the AQI surpasses 150, it is considered "Code Red," unhealthy for some members of the general public who may experience health effects, with sensitive groups experiencing more severe effects.
Click here to learn more.
-ABC News' Julia Jacobo