Smoke From Canada Wildfires Causing Poor Air Quality In Morris Co. 

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — An air quality alert for areas around Morris County has been issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, with wildfire smoke and ozone making breathing difficult for some people.

The Canadian wildfires are causing hazy and smokey conditions with a faint odor of burning.

There are approximately 160 wildfires burning across Quebec, part of a wider group of more than 300 fires across the country that some are calling Canada's worst fire season ever.

"A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups," the National Weather Service said.

It is suggested that people limit their time outside on Wednesday and even wear masks to avoid respiratory system irritation.

These sensitive groups include children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases and the elderly.

Exposure to air pollutants from the wildfire, which as particulate matter and ground-level ozone, can cause headaches, irritated eyes and sinuses, fatigue, difficulty breathing, chest pains, asthma attacks, irritated throat and increased coughing, the weather service said.

While forecasters anticipate some relief from the haze and smoke this morning “an additional plume of thick smoke should spread south into the area later this afternoon and evening,” weather officials said.

School districts in New Jersey, including both the East Brunswick and Montclair school districts have made the decision to move gym and recess indoors Wednesday. Wayne schools even gave students an early dismissal due to the bad air quality.

This article contains additional reporting by Nicole Rosenthal.