by Muri Assunção
NY Dailynews: An Air Quality Health Advisory remained in effect Tuesday for most of the state — including all of New York City — as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift into the area, reducing visibility and raising health concerns.
Young children, older adults, and people with heart or breathing conditions should avoid strenuous or prolonged outdoor activity, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Tuesday morning in a statement shared on social media.
Gov. Kathy Hochul had initially announced that the advisory for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) would remain in effect through 11:59 p.m. Monday for regions including the New York City Metro, Lower and Upper Hudson Valley, the Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, and Central and Western New York. The alert was later extended through midnight Tuesday.
PM2.5 is defined as fine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller — such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke — that can reach deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems.
The advisory also included ozone alerts for the New York City Metro area and Long Island.
“To stay safe and healthy, New Yorkers must be Air Quality Aware this summer as we continue to see impacts from the Canadian wildfires and ozone formation,” said Amanda Lefton, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation. “DEC continues to track air quality across the state and works with our partners at the Department of Health to keep the public informed about how to protect themselves and reduce their exposure to air pollution.”
As of late Tuesday morning, PM2.5 levels in the New York City area measured 123, which falls into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category on the Air Quality Index (AQI). An AQI over 100 is considered a concern for vulnerable populations.Levels above 150 are considered unhealthy for everyone.
The smoke, carried south from wildfires burning across Canada, has triggered multiple advisories in New York and other northeastern states this summer. While current conditions are not as hazardous as those seen during the historic June 2023 smoke wave, health officials warn that repeated exposure to elevated pollution levels remains a serious risk, particularly for sensitive groups — including children, the elderly, pregnant people, those with lung or heart conditions, asthmatics, those who exercise or work outdoors, and those in disadvantaged communities.
The U.S.’s northern neighbor is experiencing its second-worst wildfire season on record, NPR reported, citing government data. Almost 4,000 fires have been recorded already this calendar year.
