Air Quality Worsening In NJ As Wildfire Smoke Moves In: See Latest

NEW JERSEY — Air quality is beginning to worsen in parts of New Jersey, as plumes of smoke from wildfires in Canada are raising levels of fine particulate matter in the air to levels unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Smoke from the ongoing wildfires in Canada will affect air quality in New Jersey on Thursday and Friday, and there will be an air quality alert in place as it could hard for some people to breathe normally.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert in 16 counties, beginning midnight Wednesday night and lasting through midnight Thursday. Air quality within the region could "approach or exceed unhealthy standards," said officials.

The Code Orange will be in place for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties.

"Levels of fine particulates will remain elevated in the unhealthy for sensitive groups category statewide on Thursday due to residual Canadian wildfire smoke," the National Weather Service said.

The "sensitive groups" category includes children and teenagers, older adults, people with asthma, and those with heart or lung conditions. It also includes people who spend time outside working or doing rigorous physical exercise.

The remaining five counties (Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, and Union) will have an "Air Quality Alert Action Day" from midnight Wednesday night, through midnight Thursday according to the National Weather Service.

Air quality alerts were issued Wednesday in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, following in the footsteps of several midwestern states earlier this week, according to AirNow.gov.

"Smoky air dispersed from Canadian wildfires that has brought very unhealthy air west of the Appalachians is bringing air quality into the 'code orange & code red' categories, especially west & southwest of NJ," said the National Weather Service early Wednesday afternoon.

New York governor Kathy Hochul also issued an air quality advisory around New York City Wednesday, according to News12, with the New York City Health Department noting that “moderate” air quality levels can change quickly due to shifting wind patterns. Conditions may also worsen Thursday, the outlet reported.

Dense fog and low visibility are in Wednesday’s forecast for New Jersey, per the National Weather Service, with the worst of the smoke conditions expected to affect the Garden State on Thursday.

Risky AQI, which may pose a hazard for people who are sensitive to air pollution, begins at values above 50, according to the federal website.

AirNow.gov reports “moderate” air quality in the Philadelphia metro area and South Jersey, though areas in Salem County were approaching the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" level as of 1 p.m.

Accuweather reports that air quality alerts could reach as far north and east as New England by Thursday. However, NWS experts say they do not expect conditions in New Jersey to be as severe as three weeks ago, when levels were 300 or higher in parts of the state.

"All of our state air quality agencies are forecasting 'code orange' for Thursday, and it looks like similar conditions may linger Friday," said the NWS office in Mount Holly. "This is NOT as severe as 3 weeks ago (we were in the 'code purple' or higher)."

Earlier this month, the air quality in the Garden State rose to dangerously unhealthy levels as the skies turned orange due to the wildfire haze. The unhealthy air quality closed schools and government offices for at least a day on June 7.

Wildfires have burned over 19 million acres since the start of the year, roughly 6.3 million of which were in Quebec, according to Accuweather.