Air quality alert issued across New York as Canadian wildfire smoke returns

NEW YORK - Hazy skies and poor air quality are expected around New York State again this week due to wildfire smoke, Governor Kathy Hochul warned on Tuesday, almost three weeks after smoke from raging wildfires in Canada led to poor air quality in New York that she labeled as "an emergency crisis".

The state of New York has issued an air quality advisory as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches "unhealthy" levels in certain areas, including western and central New York. The governor asked high-risk populations, such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory issues, to avoid the outdoors on Wednesday.

"It's difficult to forecast the smoke due to wind variables but western and central New York residents could see and feel the effects starting Wednesday morning. By Thursday, the wildfire smoke from Canada is expected to reach New York City residents," said NBC News.

"If you want to know the effects of climate change, you are going to feel it tomorrow in real-time. This is not something that we are talking future generations dealing with it, we are truly the first generation to feel the real effects of climate change and also the last generation to do anything meaningful about it," the governor said at a news conference about congestion pricing in New York City.

From June 7 to 8, smoke from raging wildfires in Canada triggered air quality alerts in a number of US states. About 128 million people in the country were under air quality alerts because of wildfire smoke and ozone. The air quality index in New York City reached "hazardous" levels on June 8.