Northeastern United States Suffocates from Smoke Pollution Due to Canada Fires

Affected by smoke from the fires coming from Canada, the northeastern United States is suffocating with air quality that is the most degraded on the planet in the Big Apple.

The northeastern United States continues to suffer the consequences of the monster fires in Canada, which has already seen more than 3.8 million hectares go up in smoke as of June 6 (source: TWC).

Due to northwesterly winds, blowing non-stop over the northeastern United States and Quebec, New York City is immersed in ocher smoke with very high levels of pollution. The concentration of PM2.5 in New York was a few hours ago 20.5 times higher than the value recommended by the World Health Organization, according to the iQair site, placing the city in the lead of the most polluted on the planet. This situation is expected to continue until Saturday before an improvement expected on Sunday, due to the transfer of the flow to the southern sector. Indeed, a depression should widen towards the large lakes and allow the return of rains or thunderstorms over Quebec, but also the establishment of a southerly flow ahead, which would chase the smoke north.

The level of pollution is such that it has caused disruptions in air traffic, and poses risks for the inhabitants of the city, invited to remain confined and to wear masks to limit the risks. The dangerousness of these fumes comes from the fine particles (PM2.5) they contain. With a size of 2.5 microns, these particles penetrate the lungs and can cause difficulties for the most fragile people (asthma, bronchitis, etc.).

According to the Canadian government, June could see more fires than normal in most of the country throughout the 2023 wildfire season, due to persistent drought and persistently warm temperatures. In July, the danger of forest fires is expected to increase in the Yukon region, while it will decrease west of Quebec. It is therefore not certain that the current situation will not happen again in the coming months, and in the coming years, in particular due to climate change which increases the frequency and intensity of such phenomena.