New York City experienced a dramatic shift in its skyline on Wednesday as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted south, painting the sky in hazy yellow and orange hues and prompting an Air Quality Alert. The National Weather Service issued the alert for the city as the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered between 151 and 200, levels considered unhealthy.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani advised residents to stay indoors, seek air-conditioned spaces, limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, and check on vulnerable neighbors, including the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. "The combination of dangerous heat and unhealthy air is a serious threat to New Yorkers’ health," Mamdani stated.
The city began distributing KN95 masks at local libraries and police precincts to help mitigate the effects of the poor air quality. The smoke poses a particular risk to individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma. This situation is compounded by a heat advisory, leading to the extension of city cooling centers through Thursday.
Timelapse footage captured the transformation of the sky from clear blue to a smoky yellow, with the city skyline taking on an eerie orange glow as sunset approached on Wednesday. The hazy conditions persisted into Thursday. The smoke originated from wildfires burning in Canada, with images showing flames consuming trees in British Columbia earlier in July.
Earthcam live feeds also documented the smog enveloping the city, including views of the World Trade Center. The ongoing wildfire situation in Canada has led to significant air quality degradation across multiple regions in the United States throughout the summer.