Air quality plummets in 20 states as smoke from Canadian wildfires spreads across the US | US news

Smoke from wildfires burning in the south-central region Canada and parts of Minnesota It is spreading across the US, prompting air quality advisories in more than 20 states, and millions of Americans are expected to face unhealthy weather conditions this week.

Smoke coming from multiple places 180 Active wildfires in northern Ontario briefly affected Toronto’s air quality the worst in the world on Wednesday. until wednesday nightThe smoke spread from Minnesota to many US states. Many forest fires continue, It flew into New York, covering the sky with haze and worsening air quality.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in question He said winds carried smoke from the Ontario fires “primarily southeast across much of the southern part of the province, but also into parts of Quebec and the midwest and northeast of the United States, painting the skies gray and yellow and the sun orange in many areas.”

Air quality advisories have been issued for some areas as of Thursday morning. North Carolina, Minnesota, Vermont, Connecticut, new York, massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, new hampshire, Pennsylvania, Illinois, indiana, Ohio, Delaware, West Virginia, colorado, Virginia, maryland, Washington D.C., Michigan And Wisconsin.

According to a air quality conditions map Air quality was at “unhealthy” levels in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Michigan on Thursday morning, according to data provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, while officials urged residents to “take precautions by reducing outdoor activities.”

Air quality is rated “very unhealthy” in parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, while air quality in parts of Michigan, including Detroit, as well as parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota, is listed as “hazardous,” with officials warning residents to “stay indoors.”

As of Thursday morning, Detroit was now listed as the city with the worst air quality in the world. IQAir‘s global rankings, followed by Toronto, followed by Minneapolis and Chicago.

National Weather Service in Detroit warned “Smoke is expected to be heaviest this afternoon and tonight, with reduced visibility expected” on Thursday.

Officials in New York elongated The city’s heat-related contingency plan operations, including the opening of hundreds of cooling centers, “as high temperatures and temperature gauges continue and smoke from significant, still-spreading wildfires in Western Ontario, Canada, moves toward the region.”

“The weather is dangerously hot, and smoke from wildfires in Canada has worsened our air quality, which means New Yorkers need to be extra careful to stay safe,” said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. in question. He urged residents to stay in air-conditioned areas, limit outdoor activities and stay hydrated.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced: more than 100,000 N95-style masks were made available to counties in need, while additional masks were provided for commuters in Penn Station and Grand Central.

New York officials also warned He said this could be New York City’s “most significant smoke event” since 2023, when smoke from Canadian wildfires raised air quality to dangerous levels and shrouded the city in an orange haze.

While officials said this week’s conditions currently “do not indicate a repeat of peak levels in 2023,” officials said they are closely monitoring for any deterioration.

Weather officials in New York City he said on thursday “Wildfire smoke will continue to reduce visibility and air quality throughout this evening.”

Air quality warning remains in effect for New York until midnight It’s Thursday and it’s raining expected on saturday Ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated World Cup Final in new jersey.

Forecasters in Boston warned “Smoky skies are expected again today, which will reduce air quality” on Thursday.

Massachusetts senator Ed Markey in question He said the smoke was “darkening the skies and entering our lungs across the state.”

“With a record El Niño forecast for this year, we expect more wildfire smoke in the coming days,” he added. “The climate crisis doesn’t stop here and at our borders. Stay safe, Massachusetts.”

Elsewhere, forecasters warned that smoky conditions were expected to persist into Friday and potentially into the weekend. Forecasters in Virginia in question On Thursday, “additional waves of smoke and wildfires from Ontario, Canada will push south into the region by Friday,” creating “hazy conditions with reduced air quality.”

Smoking is allowed in Michigan It is expected to continue until Friday and will likely linger into Saturday in parts of the region, with Ohio also expected to see smoky conditions continue until friday.