Millions of people in the subways of America’s East Coast have been affected by wildfires that have run out of control in Canada, with destructive smoke hovering over major US cities for a second straight day.
Residents of major metropolitan areas, including New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia, woke up to find their iconic skylines once again shrouded in an ominous yellow fog, leading many to wonder how much longer the smog will last.
Through Thursday, flights from LaGuardia, Philadelphia and Newark airports were regularly delayed as the FAA scrambles to deal with the ongoing travel chaos.
And with 75 million Americans currently on some level of air quality alert, winds are predicted to push much of the striking yellow hue seen over New York City on Wednesday to the Mid-Atlantic states.
Meteorologists predict the smoke, which has reached at least 16 states, could last into the weekend in some places.
A man talks on his phone as he looks through the haze at the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, NJ, Wednesday, June 7, 2023
A map of the impact wildfire smoke has had on air quality on the East Coast. Purple parts are considered ‘dangerous’, red is ‘unhealthy’, orange is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ and yellow is ‘moderate’
The source of the smoke is a fleet of more than 400 active wildfires over the Canadian border, where many of the fires have been burning for several weeks.
A weather front blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean over Nova Scotia then sent the dangerous plumes south, where they quickly smothered many major hubs on the East Coast.
And a further southerly advance is planned to see the smoke reach several Mid-Atlantic states, with the fog’s path now expected to cover Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington.
Air quality levels are expected to improve for many in the coming days, but officials warned it is variable and could be affected by factors such as wind direction and the strength of the wildfires.
Members of the Marine Corps practice for an upcoming parade under a hazy sky from Canadian wildfires near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, U.S., June 8, 2023
The sun rising over One World Trade Center as Manhattan awoke to the second day in a line of smoke
Although New York saw a visible shift in the smoke on Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams admitted that the Big Apple may not be done with the fog just yet.
“The big plume we saw yesterday has been pushing through the city and we expect a gradual improvement in the early afternoon today,” he told a news conference.
“But a sea breeze this afternoon could drive the smoke back over the city.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul added that while the Big Apple may be gone by Thursday morning, residents should remain cautious given the risks posed by high levels of pollution.
“Maybe we’ll get a little delay. But I don’t want people to let their guard down and get complacent because we have to be prepared for the wind to shift,” she said.
UNSTATE NEW YORK: A horse at Belmont Park in Elmont, where all practices and races were canceled Thursday due to poor air quality
WASHINGTON, DC: Members of the Marine Corps honor color watch rehearsal as the sun rises over a thick layer of smoke, Thursday, June 8, 2023
Further winds will push the smoke through Washington DC on Thursday, with Baltimore now also in its path.
The country’s capital has achieved an air quality index score of more than 290, a level considered “dangerous.”
Air quality index scores have surged throughout the morning, with “dangerous” or “very unhealthy” scores recorded from Washington to Philadelphia and New York.
Health experts 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.