Google tells East Coast workers to work from home as smoke from wildfires chokes NYC and other Northeast cities
Google has instructed East Coast employees to work from home as wildfires continue to suffocate New York City and other cities.
In a memo, the tech giant said that due to the lingering smoke enveloping the northeast, they would advise staff to stay home.
In a post seen by CNBCthe company said: “We advise Googlers to work from home if possible and limit their exposure to outside air.
“Terraces on our New York campus will remain closed today.”
NBC reported that the company then issued advice to employees in the Detroit, Washington DC, Virginia, Pittsburgh and North Carolina area.
In a memo to employees, the company said because of the smoke they would advise employees to stay home
People walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in smoky conditions caused by Canadian wildfires
In Canada, which is on track to experience its worst wildfire season on record, Google has notified employees in the Ontario cities of Toronto and Waterloo.
The memo on Wednesday advised employees to stay indoors, “avoid strenuous physical activity,” and run their air conditioners with clean filters. according to NBC.
The site leaders assured those already working on site that their campuses’ HVAC and air filtration systems “maintain high air quality in our offices even in these conditions.”
A cloud of smoke from the wildfires first descended on New York on Tuesday before thickening during the afternoon and Wednesday, preventing those in Manhattan from seeing the New Jersey skyline across the Hudson River.
According to the National Weather Service, not only were New Yorkers sent indoors, but air quality warnings were also introduced in states such as Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Virginia and the Carolinas.
Health experts have warned that inhaling the mist could be as harmful as smoking 22 cigarettes a day.
Nanoparticles from the smog are so small that they can enter the lungs and bloodstream, causing side effects such as eye and throat irritation and difficulty breathing.
The Manhattan skyline is shrouded in smoke as people ride the Staten Island ferry during smoky conditions caused by the Canadian wildfires
A family crosses the road on Wednesday after leaving a wedding during smoky conditions
The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended some flights to LaGuardia Airport and delayed planes to Newark Liberty and Philadelphia due to limited visibility
At about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, New York was briefly recorded as the city with the worst air pollution in the world, overtaking India’s capital Delhi.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged vulnerable residents to exercise caution during the crisis, as he also blamed climate change for the yellow sky.
“This may be the first time we’ve experienced something of this magnitude,” he said. “Let me be clear, it’s not the last.”
The city’s health warning has since been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday, as officials warned residents to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and to stay indoors if possible.