Air quality – live: New York pollution to remain hazardous as no end in sight for Canada wildfire smoke
New York City’s air quality remains in the “very unhealthy” category as more thick smoke poured south from Canada’s devastating wildfires.
With no end in sight for the Quebec wildfires, experts said the pollution can persist into Thursday and possibly the weekend.
The Big Apple has been blanketed in a science-fiction-like orange glow the last couple of days as schools across the East Coast cancelled outdoor activities, Broadway shows were cancelled and airline flights halted.
New York continues to have the worst air quality among major cities across the globe on the Air Quality Index (AQI). At one stage, levels went above 350, said to be “hazardous”.
At least 13 US states have air quality alerts issued in places, impacting an estimated 115 million people.
The entire northeastern coast battles smoke moving south from more than 400 wildfires raging in Canada which have led to mass evacuations in Quebec province.
Canadian officials warned that this could be the country’s worst wildfire season on record, with over 6.7 million acres already scorched.
