Harmful Smoke from Canadian Wildfires Triggers School Closures and Air Quality Warnings Across Eastern US – CNN Report

CNN
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Air quality is forecast to slowly improve across much of the eastern US this weekend after harmful air plumes from hundreds of wildfires in Canada moved south, but schools in some metro areas will begin remote learning on Friday, as authorities said continue to be alert to pollution exposure.

While the worst of conditions are over for most in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, potentially harmful air pollutants over cities like New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC are expected to persist Friday before areas slowly clear over the next few days.

“Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to be carried southward into the U.S. by winds, causing moderate to unhealthy air quality in parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Midwest on Friday.” There will be some improvement this weekend expected,” he said National Weather Service called.

The thick plumes of smoke have caused professional sports games to be postponed, flights grounded due to poor visibility, zoos and beaches closed and many forced to wear a mask outdoors. Climate experts warn that such events are becoming more frequent due to human-caused climate change.

About 50 million people in several Midwest and East Coast states have been affected by air quality warnings, but that number may change on Friday if conditions improve for some.

What to expect on Friday:

Wildfire smoke from more than 400 Quebec fires has stopped drifting south after several days of movement, eventually reaching parts of the Atlantic coast and shrouding it in an orange, cloudy haze. In Quebec, smoke from wildfires has been significantly reduced across the region.

According to monitoring website AirNow, New York City’s air quality index was below 150 early Friday, which is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” or Level 3 out of 6.

Philadelphia’s air quality index topped 150 early Friday, marking it “unhealthy.” The air in the city is expected to improve slightly to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” over the course of Friday.

What’s worth noting, however, is that the improvements are coming slowly, with only light winds and little change in the current weather pattern, keeping the smoke trapped closer to the ground until it slowly dissipates.

As of 2 a.m. ET Friday, air quality was still “unhealthy” in several metro areas, including Dover, Delaware; Richmond, VA; Atlantic City, NJ; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

But officials warn that as the planet warms, such day-changing weather events are more likely to continue disrupting daily life, creating the ideal environment for more severe and more frequent wildfires. When these flames burn, the smoke can spread thousands of miles, putting millions more at risk.

Wildfire smoke is particularly dangerous because it contains tiny particulate matter (PM2.5) — the smallest pollutant. When inhaled, it can penetrate deep into the lung tissue and enter the bloodstream. It comes from the burning of fossil fuels, dust storms, and wildfires, among other sources, and has been linked to several health complications, including asthma, heart disease, and other respiratory diseases.

Because of these potential dangers, US President Joe Biden said Thursday it is “very important” for communities affected by air pollution to heed local guidelines and check on their neighbors.

dr Peter DeCarlo, an associate professor in Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, urged people to closely monitor the air quality in their area and limit time outdoors.

“This week this is just a situation where we have pretty bad air quality for a couple of days. … For many of us parents, summer is just beginning, and maybe we can use it as an opportunity to stop walking around as much until the bad air quality is over,” DeCarlo said.