Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires cast a pall over skies across the U.S. Midwest and East Coast on Thursday, reducing visibility and leading officials to issue warnings about hazardous air quality. Detroit recorded some of the worst air quality globally for major cities as smoke, originating from fires in Canada and northern Minnesota, was trapped by a high-pressure system and blown south by northwest winds.
Visibility in some affected areas dropped to as low as half a mile. Other cities throughout the Great Lakes region experienced air quality ranging from unhealthy to hazardous. Public health officials cautioned that fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke poses significant risks, particularly to children and individuals with pre-existing respiratory and heart conditions, such as asthma.
In the New York City metropolitan area, a dense, hazy layer tinged the sky with orange and yellow hues, obscuring the city's skyline. City officials responded by opening cooling centers and urging residents to minimize strenuous outdoor activities, recommending they remain in air-conditioned spaces.
State officials distributed tens of thousands of N95 masks at transit hubs like Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal in New York City, along with other key locations. These masks are designed to filter out 95% of fine airborne particles.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that public schools, parks, and other city agencies were adapting their operations. Programs were being moved indoors, events rescheduled, and activities adjusted as air quality was anticipated to deteriorate throughout the day. The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a statewide air quality health advisory, noting the potential for temporary spikes in very unhealthy air quality conditions across various regions of the state, from Buffalo to Rochester, Syracuse, and the greater New York City area.