Wildfire Smoke Due To Return To NYC This Week, Governor Warns

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's skies could yet again be filled with thick smoke from Canadian wildfires this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul warned.

Smoke is expected to drift across much of the state Wednesday and blanket the city by Thursday, she said.

"Over the next 48 hours, we’re anticipating the smoke and haze to come all across the state," she said Tuesday afternoon.

More than 300 wildfires are burning in Canada, spewing out smoke that state environmental officials warn will drift over New York and likely push its air quality to unhealthy levels.

An air quality index of 50 or below is considered safe.

New York City briefly had the worst air quality in the world — more than 400 — as the last batch of smoke turned its sky orange June 7 and prompted city dwellers to re-don masks en masse.

Hochul urged New Yorkers this week to track air quality and be prepared to wear masks again.

An interactive forecast by the Weather Forecast Research Team at the University of British Columbia, which tracks wildland fire weather in Canada, found smoke particles will thicken over the New York City region by 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Organizations that run outdoor activities or have outdoor workforces should begin plans to go indoors Wednesday, state officials urged.

More information about New York State Air Quality forecast is available here.

To check your location's current air quality visit here: airnow.gov.

The AQI scale is as follows:

• Good/green: 0-50
• Moderate/yellow: 51-100
• Unhealthy for sensitive groups/orange: 101-150
• Unhealthy/red: 151-200
• Very unhealthy/purple: 201-300
• Hazardous/maroon: 301-500

The New York State Department of Health is advising precautions as necessary. Steps for individuals to take to reduce risk, include:

• When AQI is greater than 100, New Yorkers in vulnerable groups should avoid exertion outdoors and watch for symptoms when exposed to the outdoors. Vulnerable individuals include those with cardiovascular disease (e.g., congestive heart failure, history of prior heart attack) or lung disease (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), as well as children under 18, adults 65 and older, and pregnant people.
• When AQI is greater than 150, all New Yorkers should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, and those in vulnerable groups should avoid exposure to the outdoors, especially pregnant individuals who may become short of breath more easily.
• For people who spend time outdoors, when air quality is unhealthy, wearing a well-fitting face mask is recommended. A N95 or KN95 will work best.

Patch writer Lanning Taliaferro contributed to this report.