Air Quality Alert Expanded To Long Island, Hudson Valley

NEW YORK — Conditions worsened downstate Wednesday and state officials expanded the air pollution advisory to include the entire state as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to cause the Air Quality Index to reach unhealthy levels.

Significant near-surface smoke impacts are not currently forecast to reach eastern New York, including the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island, until late afternoon. However, conditions are likely to deteriorate quickly once the smoke moves in.

"DEC expert meteorologists have updated the forecast for today as the plume progresses further east," said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos. "We will continue to keep the public informed of the significant near surface smoke impacts expected statewide as conditions change."

The midday forecast for the Hudson Valley, Long Island and New York City is 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.' Air in Western New York, Central New York, and the Eastern Lake Ontario regions is forecast to be 'Unhealthy' for all New Yorkers.

Exposure can cause short-term health effects, such as irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. Additional information is available on DEC and on DOH websites.

State officials unveiled a new system for emergency cell phone alerts, to warn New Yorkers if air quality index exceeds the 200 threshold for 'Very Unhealthy' air at a level sustained for longer than an hour.

The alerts will be transmitted via the Wireless Emergency Alert system, managed by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

"With smoke from the Canadian wildfires once again impacting air quality throughout our state this week, we're urging New Yorkers to remain vigilant," Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "We're activating emergency cell phone alerts to ensure New Yorkers have the latest information and are continuing to coordinate with local counties to monitor conditions and distribute masks. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay informed about the latest updates and take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones."

State officials will make N95-style masks available to New Yorkers statewide as they did three weeks ago. They are being offered to counties at state-run stockpiles for further distribution to the public.

Visit dec.ny.gov for updated forecasts and information about air quality index levels.

Fires are burning across northern Canada and in parts of the United States, including the mid-Atlantic, South, Southwest and Northwest, according to AirNow.gov's smoke and fire map.

In Canada, there are currently 490 fires burning, with 255 of them considered to be out of control, the Associated Press reported.

Canada has about 9 percent of the world’s forests. The Canadian boreal forest, which stretches from Newfoundland and Labrador on the Atlantic Coast to northeastern British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, is the largest intact forest left in the world, according to the Natural Resources Defense Fund.

Fire suppression costs over the last decade in Canada have ranged from about $800 million to $1.5 billion a year, according to Natural Resources Canada.

Bigger, smokier fires are to be expected as the warming planet will produce hotter and longer heat waves, Joel Thornton, professor and chair of the department of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington, told the AP.

"Though wildfires themselves are not caused by climate change, conditions that strengthen wildfires, like droughts and high temperatures, are linked to climate change," Forbes magazine reported.