A massive smoke cloud generated by Quebec’s wildfires has compelled children to remain indoors, disrupted flights in New York City, and placed millions of residents from Maryland to the Canadian capital at risk of inhaling unhealthy air.
Air quality alerts have been issued for over 75 million people in the eastern United States on Wednesday, as the smoke obscured renowned skylines with drifting orange fumes.
During a news conference, Mayor Eric Adams revealed that New York City had reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 484 at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, which falls under the “hazardous” category. This marks the highest recorded level in the city since the 1960s.
The mayor stated that air quality conditions were expected to worsen until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Wednesday, with a temporary improvement later in the night and into Thursday morning. However, conditions were projected to deteriorate again on Thursday afternoon and evening as smoke moved back over the city.
