Thick Canadian Wildfire Smoke Due Back In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Acrid, toxic smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to return to the Hudson Valley Wednesday.

It's been almost three weeks since smoke blowing south from the wildfires raging in Quebec brought downstate New York its worst air quality in decades.

Now, with more than 300 wildfires active in Canada, the air quality forecast for New York shows the potential for unhealthy air to affect most of the state with thick surface smoke overnight Wednesday, state environmental officials said.

A cold front is forecast to enter western New York from the northwest in the early morning hours Wednesday and reach downstate regions by Wednesday evening. SEE: More Strong Storms Expected In The Hudson Valley

According to the Canadian portal for information about wildland fire weather, which gives interactive forecasts of hourly, daily average and daily maximum concentrations of PM 2.5 smoke particles at ground level from wildfires, smoke will thicken over New York in the next 36 hours.

"As we closely monitor the changing forecast, New Yorkers should be prepared for the potential return of smoke from the Canadian wildfires," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an update on the pollution levels. "I encourage everyone to remain vigilant, especially if you are vulnerable to air pollution, stay up to date on the latest information and take steps to protect yourself."

Organizations who run outdoor activities or have outdoor workforces should begin planning now for potential changes to activity on 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, which today shows most of the effect in the United States centered on the Midwest.

There were 330 wildfires burning in Canada as of June 21, down just slightly from June 7. They were in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, according to the country's National Wildland Fire Situation Report. All the new fires that started in the week ending June 21 were attributed to lightning.

The frequency, extent and severity of wildfires mark important indicators of climate change, environmental officials say.

The smoke contains fine particulate matter — tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM 2.5 can be made of many different types of particles and often come from processes that involve combustion (e.g. vehicle exhaust, power plants, and fires) and from chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Exposure can cause health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. People with heart or breathing problems, and children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive.

Check Your Air Quality

AirNow.gov, which reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), has an updated map of air quality in the U.S.

Air quality alerts are triggered by a number of factors, including the detection of fine-particle pollution — known as "PM 2.5" — which can irritate the lungs.
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

AirNow partners with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control, and tribal, state, and local air quality agencies.

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.

SEE ALSO: Quebec Wildfires Cause 2nd Day Air Quality Alerts In The Hudson Valley