New York City suffered from the highest air pollution levels in the world on Tuesday, as smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires shrouded the city in a thick haze. According to Swiss air quality company IQAir, pollution levels in New York were rated as "unhealthy", surpassing figures in Delhi and Baghdad at 1:25 am (local time). Thick smoke from the wildfires has also been affecting other North American cities, with Detroit also experiencing significant smoke-related air pollution.
Due to the poor air quality, the New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the city, with warnings that further air quality deterioration was predicted later that day. Adams said, "We are taking precautions out of an abundance of caution to protect New Yorkers’ health until we are able to get a better sense of future air quality reports,” and advised that outdoor activity should be limited "to the greatest extent possible."
At 1:05 am (local time), the US Air Quality Index for New York hit 222, putting the air in the "very unhealthy" category on a scale of 0-500. These concerns come as Canada's wildfire season is currently at its worst, with millions of hectares scorched and over 400 fires currently burning. Approximately 26,000 Canadians have been forced to evacuate from their homes.
If the pace of the wildfires continues, Government officials suggest that this could become Canada's worst-ever wildfire season. The severity of the situation confirms the link between climate change and increased frequency of wildfires, highlighting the global repercussions of the climate crisis.