[1]Skip to content (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Sections (BUTTON) SEARCH [2]Today’s Paper Wildfire Smoke * [3]Updates * [4]Tracking the Smoke * [5]The Air Quality Index, Explained * [6]Protecting Your Health * [7]Do Masks Work? Advertisement [8]Continue reading the main story LiveUpdated June 7, 2023, 5:06 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 5:06 p.m. ET Wildfire SmokeNew York City Air Quality Hits Worst Level on Record Smoke from Canadian wildfires triggered air pollution warnings. Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York called the worsening air quality “an emergency crisis.” * (BUTTON) Give this article * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) 1. Manhattan Dave Sanders for The New York Times 2. Brooklyn Noah Throop/The New York Times 3. Bronx David Dee Delgado/Getty Images 4. Brooklyn Juan Arredondo for The New York Times 5. Bronx Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times 6. Manhattan Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press 7. Weehawken, New Jersey Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images 8. Bronx Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times 9. New York Reuters, Associated Press 10. Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 11. Toronto, Canada CTV via Associated Press 12. Philadelphia Matt Rourke/Associated Press 13. Brighton, N.Y. Tina Macintyre-Yee/Democrat & Chronicle, via Associated Press 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Pinned [9]Mike Ives [10]Liam Stack Updated June 7, 2023, 4:29 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:29 p.m. ET [11]Mike Ives and [12]Liam Stack (BUTTON) [13]Here’s the latest on the worsening air quality in the U.S. The sky in New York City rapidly darkened on Wednesday afternoon, as a plume of smoke from Canadian wildfires approached the nation’s largest city and sent the air quality index soaring past 324, the worst since the Environmental Protection Agency began recording air quality measurements in 1999. Midtown Manhattan was plunged into a deep hazy orange and smoky clouds obscured visibility across the five boroughs and around the region, canceling some flights. Earlier in the day, commuters donned Covid masks to walk the streets, children were kept indoors at recess, some schools closed and officials warned millions of people to avoid going outside. For much of Wednesday, the air quality index in Syracuse surpassed 400, according to [14]AirNow, which designates a reading above 100 as “unhealthy” to breathe and above 300 as “hazardous.” In Binghamton, about 60 miles south of Syracuse, Mike Hardiman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said the city “looks like Mars” and “smells like cigars.” Speaking to reporters, Gov. Kathy Hochul called the worsening air quality in New York “an emergency crisis,” warning it could last several days: “People have to prepare for this over the long haul.” Hundreds of fires have been burning in eastern Canada for weeks. As smoke drifted south over parts of the U.S. Northeast and Midwest, one New York City commuter on Tuesday [15]described the smell as progressing from “burnt toast” to “campfire.” The air quality in New York remained the worst it has been since the 1960s, according to the city’s health commissioner, Ashwin Vasan. The city’s schools were open but were not holding outdoor activities, [16]Mayor Eric Adams announced. Much of New York State was under an air quality health advisory [17]alert — indicating that the index was expected to surpass 100 — that was in effect until Wednesday night. The poor air quality could have widespread effects among healthy people and serious ones for those with respiratory conditions, [18]according to federal guidelines. Such high readings are typical in smoggy megacities like Jakarta or [19]New Delhi but rare in New York, where decades of state and federal laws have helped to reduce emissions. Here’s what else to know: * Canada, where nearly 250 fires were burning out of control as of early Wednesday, was also in for more haze. Parts of Quebec and Ontario were under a [20]smog warning, and experts warned that the air in Toronto and elsewhere was likely to worsen — probably on Thursday — before getting better. * Satellite imagery showed haze engulfing parts of the United States on Wednesday, and warnings were in effect across a wide portion of the Northeast and [21]Midwest. Philadelphia was under a “[22]code red,” meaning sensitive groups could be at risk. * The haze was expected to linger for a couple of days because the weather system pushing it around the atmosphere was relatively stagnant, the National Weather Service [23]said in a forecast. Forecast models showed that a more dense smoke layer could reach further west into cities like Pittsburgh on Thursday. Hilary Howard, Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Asmaa Elkeurti contributed reporting. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [24]Continue reading the main story Jesse McKinley June 7, 2023, 5:06 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 5:06 p.m. ET Jesse McKinley (BUTTON) Schools in Western New York are canceling after-school activities, though the air is largely clear in downtown Buffalo. Jennie Coughlin June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET Jennie Coughlin Reporting from New York (BUTTON) The view from the Manhattan Bridge is hazier than it was at 6:30 a.m., but visibility has improved since early afternoon. Latest 8-hour smoke forecast Light Moderate High Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Notes: Data is from NOAA’s Rapid Refresh modeling system and may underestimate smoke due to cloud cover or other obstructions. Contours show estimated concentrations of wildfire smoke near the surface. By Madison Dong and Bea Malsky Dana Rubinstein June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET Dana Rubinstein (BUTTON) Citing poor air quality, New York City has suspended alternate side parking for Thursday. Michael Paulson June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 5:05 p.m. ET Michael Paulson (BUTTON) Vineyard Theater, an Off Broadway nonprofit in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, has canceled tonight’s performance of the play “This Land Was Made,” citing “hazardous air quality conditions.” [25]Benjamin Hoffman June 7, 2023, 4:51 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:51 p.m. ET [26]Benjamin Hoffman (BUTTON) [27]Yankees game postponed because of ‘hazardous’ air quality. Image The air conditions at Yankee Stadium were considered to be hazardous on Wednesday afternoon.Credit...Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times With air quality in the Bronx registering at “hazardous” levels because of [28]smoke from wildfires in Canada, Major League Baseball postponed a game between the Yankees and the Chicago White Sox, which had been scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The game will be made up on Thursday as the first game of a single-admission doubleheader, [29]the Yankees said. That could change if the air quality conditions do not improve. A game between the Phillies and the Detroit Tigers in Philadelphia was also postponed on Wednesday, as was [30]a W.N.B.A. game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Liberty in Brooklyn. The decision to postpone the M.L.B. games — made at the league level with input from the teams, the players’ union and weather experts — came at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, with the air quality in the Bronx [31]registering at 413 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index, according to AirNow. Philadelphia’s A.Q.I. [32]was at 233. The Yankees and the White Sox [33]played through a night game on Tuesday in which the A.Q.I. was higher than 150 at the first pitch and was registering at higher than 200 shortly after the game ended. (Anything from 101 to 150 is classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups. From 151 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and anything over 301 is hazardous.) Several players worked out on the field at Yankee Stadium during the day on Wednesday, including Carlos Rodón, a starting pitcher trying to work his way back from the injured list. But with conditions worsening, the decision was made to postpone the games, which brought M.L.B. in line with the decisions made at the minor league level in Syracuse, N.Y., and near Scranton, Pa., on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Carlos Rodón is pitching at Yankee Stadium right now. He’s throwing a live session against hitters like Jake Bauers and Oswaldo Cabrera. [34]pic.twitter.com/w4kc94WwET — Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) [35]June 7, 2023 Other M.L.B. games in the Northeast were not postponed on Wednesday because the conditions in those cities were not as severe. The Pirates played an afternoon game against the Oakland Athletics in Pittsburgh with an A.Q.I. in excess of 150 at various points. The Guardians were expected to play their night game against the Boston Red Sox in Cleveland with the A.Q.I. at around 100. While there were numerous complaints from journalists and fans on social media about the decision to play the full slate of games on Tuesday, players and coaches for the Yankees played down the difficulty. Third baseman Josh Donaldson said that it seemed foggy but was “nothing out of the ordinary,” and Manager Aaron Boone compared it to the smog that teams are used to playing through in Southern California. A situation similar to this week’s events played out on the West Coast in 2020. The Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners [36]played a September doubleheader that season with an A.Q.I. of 220 at the first pitch, also as a result of wildfires, only for M.L.B. to relocate the Mariners’ next two games to San Francisco after criticism from players and fans. (BUTTON) Show more Asmaa Elkeurti June 7, 2023, 4:41 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:41 p.m. ET Asmaa Elkeurti (BUTTON) New York City’s Air Quality Index has just reached a “hazardous” 413, according to data from AirNow. Benjamin Hoffman June 7, 2023, 4:39 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:39 p.m. ET Benjamin Hoffman (BUTTON) A game between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty has been postponed because of air quality issues that were affecting conditions at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, according to the W.N.B.A. Benjamin Hoffman June 7, 2023, 4:38 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:38 p.m. ET Benjamin Hoffman (BUTTON) Major League Baseball has postponed two of Wednesday night’s games because of poor air quality. The Yankees were expected to play the Chicago White Sox in the Bronx, and the Philadelphia Phillies were expected to play the Detroit Tigers in Philadelphia, but both will now be rescheduled. Troy Closson June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET Troy Closson Reporting from New York (BUTTON) New York City’s public schools were previously scheduled to be closed for children on Thursday, taking one major issue off the plate of city officials. Still, tens of thousands of teachers and staff were set to attend a professional development workshop, and officials have not yet decided whether it will become virtual. On Wednesday afternoon, [37]the chair of the City Council’s education committee and a group of [38]educators within the city’s teachers union both called for all in-person programming to be canceled. In light of the recent public health advisories from both State and City agencies; I am calling for [39]@NYCSchools staff to be permitted to work remotely tomorrow, especially since students will have off due to Brooklyn Queens Day. — Rita Joseph #BlackLivesMatter (@RitaJosephNYC) [40]June 7, 2023 Here is MORE’s response to the Air Quality Advisory & Chancellor’s Day tomorrow: As this statement is written, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has extended the Air Quality Health Advisory for New York State to June 8th, & Air Quality is considered 1/7 — MORE-UFT (@MOREcaucusUFT) [41]June 7, 2023 June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET [42]Campbell Robertson Reporting from Washington, D.C. (BUTTON) [43]At one Washington market, taking in crepes, popcorn and Code Red. Image A haze settles over the U.S. Capitol as the air quality worsens from the wildfires in Canada.Credit...Kenny Holston/The New York Times Even as the haze hung heavy in the blue-white sky over the nation’s capital on Wednesday afternoon, the weekly market carried on in Woodrow Wilson Plaza, just north of the National Mall. The booths had been open since the morning, and the after-lunch crowd filtered through, looking over produce, crepes, popcorn and jewelry, seemingly unconcerned by the unusual sky above. Across the Washington, D.C., area, though, schools had been taking steps to limit students’ exposure, as the air quality deteriorated to Code Red levels. Public schools in the District, and some of the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, canceled all outdoor activities. At the market in Wilson Plaza, two vendors, Sunah Blu and Milton McCarl, chatted over the tables of body butter and herbal soap, talking about the air around them. “It looks like a heavy fog, but a dirty fog,” Ms. Blu, 46, said. They both agreed: It seemed part of a pattern of odd phenomena recently. The weather was strange over the weekend, getting colder and then hotter suddenly. At the Eastern Market on Capitol Hill, where they set up shop on Saturdays, a couple of fights broke out, which was unusual, they said. There was t[44]he sonic boom on Sunday. And now this. “It feels like something broke in the atmosphere,” Mr. McCarl said. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [45]Continue reading the main story Lauren McCarthy June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 4:27 p.m. ET Lauren McCarthy (BUTTON) In a news conference, Gov. Kathy Hochul encouraged New Yorkers to stay indoors if they can. She said the state saw an 800 percent increase in worsening air conditions over the past 24 hours, reaching hazardous conditions. “The bottom line is this: If you can stay indoors, stay indoors. This is detrimental to people’s health,” she said, adding, “You may not see it, you may not even feel it, but it is having a negative effect on everyone.” [46]Judson Jones June 7, 2023, 3:57 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:57 p.m. ET [47]Judson Jones Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter (BUTTON) [48]How long will the smoke last? Image Lifeguards at an empty Orchard Beach in the Bronx on Wednesday.Credit...Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times The worst period of hazy, unhealthy air in New York City will last from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning, according to a New York Times analysis of computer forecast models. The haze will likely vary in thickness through the overnight hours and could last through the day Thursday. The Washington, D.C., region can expect dense smoke to arrive Wednesday night and last into the day Thursday. Forecast models for smoke near the surface show that from Thursday night into Friday, the main swath of dense smoke could move further west, into western Pennsylvania and Ohio. However, the further into the future you go, the less confident forecasters are in predicting the effects and density of the smoke. That is partly because the high-resolution computer models get refreshed once an hour and are distributed a little less than a day in advance. Also, the models can’t predict how much smoke the wildfires will produce over the next several days. This has been a perfect weather scenario to create extremely unhealthy air. A persistent blocking pattern has locked the weather in place, leaving a storm system hovering near Nova Scotia and pushing strong northerly winds over the Canadian wildfires. Strong wind has kept the smoke together and nearer to the surface as it pushed into the United States. If there had been calmer winds, the smoke would have risen and dispersed more in the atmosphere, making it less concentrated. The weather pattern may finally break down this weekend, and by Sunday the winds may shift, providing relief from the smoke. Relief could come even earlier if progress is made on putting out the wildfires. Don’t hold your breath, though; experts say this is only the start of wildfire season in North America. (BUTTON) Show more Ian Austen June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET Ian Austen (BUTTON) Speaking with reporters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada said on Wednesday that his government is looking into the possibility of creating a federal disaster response organization. “We continue to discuss and look at new mechanisms and new ways of doing that,” he said. “We need to continue to make sure we are doing everything possible to both keep Canadians safe when these extreme weather events hit, but also make sure we’re doing everything we can to predict, protect and act ahead of more of these events coming.” Image Credit...Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET Sean Piccoli (BUTTON) Outside a popular soul food restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Mohammad Uddin, a food delivery worker, said he had started his shift around 1 p.m. He would normally work until 10 p.m., but with a greenish haze settling overhead, Mr. Uddin said he would not work past 6 p.m. A native of Bangladesh who said he has lived in Brooklyn for five years, Mr. Uddin estimated that he would earn about $100 for the day — a figure he described as middling. Jeff Mays June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:51 p.m. ET Jeff Mays (BUTTON) All three of New York City’s library systems closed their doors at 3:30 pm today, a few hours earlier than normal, because of deteriorating air quality conditions, according to spokeswomen for the agencies. The three systems have hundreds of combined locations and normally stay open until at least 6 p.m. on weekdays. Many unhoused people spend time at the city’s libraries during the day. [49]Michael Paulson June 7, 2023, 3:47 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:47 p.m. ET [50]Michael Paulson (BUTTON) [51]Jodie Comer leaves the stage of her Broadway show because of air quality concerns. Image Jodie Comer in her one-woman show “Prima Facie.”Credit...Sara Krulwich/The New York Times The actress Jodie Comer, who has been nominated for a Tony Award for her tour-de-force performance in the one-woman show “[52]Prima Facie,” stopped a performance on Broadway shortly after it had begun on Wednesday afternoon, citing difficulty breathing because of the wildfire smoke that has blanketed New York City. “Today’s matinee of ‘Prima Facie’ was halted approximately 10 minutes into the performance after Jodie Comer had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires,” Jim Byk, a spokesman for the production, said in a statement. The performance then restarted with an understudy, Dani Arlington. Ms. Comer, known for her work on the TV show “Killing Eve,” is a leading contender to win the Tony for best actress in a play during the awards ceremony on Sunday. In “Prima Facie” she plays a defense lawyer whose clients have included men accused of sexual assault, but who then is sexually assaulted herself and begins to see the legal system in a different way. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [53]Continue reading the main story Sharon Otterman June 7, 2023, 3:42 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:42 p.m. ET Sharon Otterman (BUTTON) The New York City Air Quality Index has reached 392, even higher than the record set earlier today, according to the [54]AirNow Index. Judson Jones June 7, 2023, 3:42 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:42 p.m. ET Judson Jones Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter (BUTTON) Visibility — measured in miles in the United States — indicates how far a person can see and is most commonly used during dense fog and blizzards. Today it is being used to measure how far people can see in the dense smoke layer. In New York, visibility has at times been reduced to around a mile [55]making the city’s skyscrapers seem to disappear. Check out this almost unbelievable time-lapse of wildfire smoke consuming the World Trade Center and the New York City skyline. Those vulnerable to poor air quality, including seniors and young children, should limit time outdoors if possible. More: [56]https://t.co/ChRuWv7X6E [57]pic.twitter.com/mtKtLun8lN — NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) [58]June 7, 2023 June 7, 2023, 3:26 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:26 p.m. ET Olivia Bensimon (BUTTON) Rauf Rahimov, 27, a pedicab driver in Central Park, heard on the news that the polluted air would last for days but that did not deter him from coming to work. “We’re doing outdoor businesses, most of our income comes from the tourists. No tourists, no people, no income,” he said while laying on the back of his cab waiting for tourists to call on him for a ride. [59]Tracey Tully June 7, 2023, 3:26 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:26 p.m. ET [60]Tracey Tully (BUTTON) [61]A wildfire near the Jersey Shore is 70 percent contained. Image From Weehawken, N.J., the New York City skyline was obscured by haze from the Canadian wildfires.Credit...Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images A blaze that spread overnight to 70 acres in central New Jersey now has a name: Glory Wildfire. By Wednesday, the fire was about 70 percent contained, a technical term used to define the portion of a blaze surrounded by a so-called fuel break, which limits its risk of spreading, according to the state’s Forest Fire Service. But residents of Jackson, N.J., where the wildfire was still threatening 15 homes and businesses, were urged to take precautions as airborne [62]particulate levels climbed to levels considered unhealthy for the second day in a row. The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, a spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection said. Wildfires are relatively common in New Jersey. So far this year, 819 wildfires have burned more than 14,500 acres, according to the environmental protection agency. In April, one large blaze, [63]Jimmy’s Wildfire, burned nearly 4,000 acres in Manchester Township, southeast of Jackson. The number of fires that have burned during the first five months of the year is significantly higher than the state experienced in either 2022 or 2021. Last year, 539 wildfires burned 740 acres between January and early June, state officials said. In 2021, 650 wildfires burned 1,800 acres during the same period of time. “Make no mistake, from the wildfires in Canada to those cropping up with increasing frequency and severity in our own backyard, these extreme weather events are tangible — and devastating — evidence of the intensifying climate crisis,” New Jersey’s governor, Philip D. Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement. WILDFIRE UPDATE: Glory Wildfire - East Commodore Blvd. - Jackson Twp, Ocean County[64]@njdepforestfire made substantial progress overnight in containing a wildland-urban interface wildfire burning in Jackson Twp. The wildfire has grown to 70 acres in size and is now 70% contained. [65]pic.twitter.com/zQJafI86eg — New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) [66]June 7, 2023 On Wednesday, the air quality near Jackson had slipped into the red “unhealthy” zone, according to [67]AirNow, which tracks particle pollution nationwide. Conditions were not much better throughout the rest of New Jersey as smoke from [68]wildfires raging in Canada blanketed much of the region. Residents were advised to limit their time outdoors Wednesday and Thursday, particularly those with heart or lung disease. “A little bit of caution isn’t necessarily bad coming on the heels of the pandemic,” said Dr. Eric Costanzo, director of pulmonary critical care at Hackensack Meridien Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Inhaled particulate matter can cause an “inflammatory cascade,” he said, leading airways to constrict. This, in turn, can cause coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, he said. “It’s reasonable to be adhering to the warnings,” he added. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took the unusual step of closing several of its container terminals at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. “Due to wildfires there is poor visibility,” the Port Authority [69]wrote on Twitter. “Please drive with care.” And in a practice that has become more common on the West Coast, where [70]recent studies show summertime [71]air quality has been degraded by wildfires, many schools in New Jersey postponed sports activities and outdoor celebrations scheduled for Wednesday. One of the practices canceled was in Bergen County, in northern New Jersey. High school seniors preparing for next weekend’s [72]all-star football game were told early Wednesday that their 4 p.m. practice had been called off as the state braced for the air quality to get even worse by late afternoon and evening. For Dennis Hard, who has been coaching football for 43 years, it was a first. “This is really weird,” said Mr. Hard, who is retiring and expects next Saturday’s all-star game to be his last. “I can’t blame them for being careful.” (BUTTON) Show more June 7, 2023, 3:10 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 3:10 p.m. ET Gregg Vigliotti (BUTTON) Orchard Beach in the Bronx, which is often filled with people from throughout the city, was all but empty Wednesday, as smoke from wildfires in Canada inundated the city. Image Credit...Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times Image Credit...Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times Jesus Jimenez June 7, 2023, 2:59 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:59 p.m. ET Jesus Jimenez (BUTTON) New York City zoos will close early at 3 p.m. today “out of concerns for our staff, visitors and animals,” according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which oversees the zoos. June 7, 2023, 2:55 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:55 p.m. ET Campbell Robertson Reporting from Washington, D.C. (BUTTON) The air quality alert in Washington, D.C., didn’t stop families, couples and brand new high school graduates from posing for photos in front of the Washington Monument, which came already Instagram-filtered in the midday haze. Some were already familiar with the peculiar air. “We came from Minnesota; we’ve had this for three weeks,” said Barbara Sanborn, 61, after a group shot. “It keeps the heat down a bit.” Asmaa Elkeurti June 7, 2023, 2:44 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:44 p.m. ET Asmaa Elkeurti (BUTTON) At 2 p.m., the air quality index in the New York City region was 324 – the worst since the Environmental Protection Agency began recording air quality measurements in 1999. It shattered the previous record of 174, set on Tuesday. The region’s previous highest reading, 167, [73]was recorded on July 7, 2002, as smoke from another rash of Canadian wildfires drifted south over the area. Jeff Mays June 7, 2023, 2:43 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:43 p.m. ET Jeff Mays (BUTTON) With less than two weeks left until the June 27 primary election in New York City, candidates are out trying to meet as many voters as possible. In Harlem, Yusef Salaam, who is running for a seat on the City Council, canceled an outdoor endorsement news conference and a couple of planned subway canvassing events because of the heavy smoke. “Today was one of those days where we said health is wealth,” said Salaam. “In a community with high rates of asthma, you don’t want to get anyone sick.” Instead, he visited a community center for older adults in East Harlem where many of the visitors wore masks and said they planned to spend most of the day indoors. Emma Fitzsimmons June 7, 2023, 2:43 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:43 p.m. ET Emma Fitzsimmons Reporting from New York (BUTTON) Lincoln Restler, a City Council member from Brooklyn, criticized Mayor Eric Adams’s response to the smoke in New York City on Wednesday afternoon. Restler argued that 36 hours into the emergency, the mayor had “not taken a single proactive step to protect New Yorkers” other than suspending outdoor school activities. He urged the mayor to protect vulnerable New Yorkers by deploying air purifiers and to encourage people to work from home. [74]Jesus Jiménez June 7, 2023, 2:41 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:41 p.m. ET [75]Jesus Jiménez (BUTTON) [76]Some zoo animals are brought indoors to escape the smoke. Image In general, wild animals are resilient and find ways to adjust to their environments, said Grant Furniss, the director of wildlife care at the Toronto Zoo.Credit...Mike Segar/Reuters As air quality worsened across the Northeast on Wednesday and officials urged people to stay inside as much as possible, zoos brought their residents indoors — prioritizing some animals over others. At the Toronto Zoo, Grant Furniss, the zoo’s director of wildlife care, said that workers were eyeing the air quality levels and using that information to decide which animals needed to be brought indoors. Mr. Furniss said that animals with previous respiratory illnesses were among the first to be brought inside. Those animals are put in buildings with ventilation systems, and extra fans are set up “to try and get any of the smallest smoke particles moving in and out of those buildings as quickly as possible.” “We really do treat them as if they were human beings,” Mr. Furniss said. Birds are also at the top of the list, because they are more susceptible than other animals to poor air quality, Mr. Furniss said. Many of the rest of the animals, he said, are free to roam between the indoor and outdoor portions of their habitats. “But if we do see any distress in any of those animals, we bring them in immediately,” Mr. Furniss said. Despite [77]high levels of air pollution in Toronto as smoke spreads [78]from wildfires in Canada, Mr. Furniss said that the Toronto Zoo had been “pretty busy” on Tuesday and Wednesday, with hundreds of visitors and school groups. Workers were given N95 respirator masks if they needed to be outside, the zoo said. In upstate New York, zoos in Syracuse and Rochester, where air quality was also at “unhealthy” levels, closed. The Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester said in a statement that zoo staff were monitoring the air quality and that “select species” could be brought indoors if it worsens. Zoos in the New York City area opened on Wednesday, but closed early at 3 p.m. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which oversees the city’s zoos, said that the zoos closed “out of concern for our staff, visitors and animals.” Carriage horse rides in New York City were suspended on Wednesday because of the air quality, according to Shari Logan, a Health Department spokeswoman. Mr. Furniss said that in general, wild animals are resilient and find ways to adjust to their environments. “It’s very much a scenario of being adaptable and being able to adapt to the situation,” he said. Dana Rubinstein contributed reporting. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [79]Continue reading the main story Luis Ferré Sadurní June 7, 2023, 2:33 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:33 p.m. ET Luis Ferré Sadurní Reporting from Albany, N.Y. (BUTTON) Dr. James McDonald, the New York State health commissioner, said Central New York was experiencing the most hazardous air quality in the state, and urged residents “to think very carefully” about going outdoors. He recommended that residents wear masks and get their inhalers refilled, noting the haze could exacerbate asthma and increase the likelihood of contracting a pulmonary infection. Judson Jones June 7, 2023, 2:33 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:33 p.m. ET Judson Jones Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter (BUTTON) Like an ominous Instagram filter, the skies in New York City quickly changed from hazy gray to deep orange as if the sun was setting in the middle of the day Wednesday. EarthCam’s live camera of the World Trade Center captured the drastic change as a dense area of wildfire smoke moved in. View of Downtown Manhattan From New Jersey, via EarthCam 11:56 a.m. 10:02 a.m. 12:53 p.m. 1:53 p.m. 11:56 a.m. 10:02 a.m. 12:53 p.m. 1:53 p.m. 10:02 a.m. 11:56 a.m. 12:53 p.m. 1:53 p.m. Images via [80]Earth[81]C[82]am [83]Sarah Maslin Nir June 7, 2023, 2:31 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:31 p.m. ET [84]Sarah Maslin Nir (BUTTON) [85]Some New Yorkers hunkered down inside. Others went about their regular routines. Image An intersection in the Bronx on Wednesday.Credit...Gregg Vigliotti for The New York Times Smoke obscured the New York City skyline on Wednesday, turning the outlines of buildings into ghostly silhouettes as the effect of wildfires in Canada continued to be felt. A campfire smell hung heavy over the streets, turning the sky a strange shade of taupe. New Yorkers tried to cope as the miasma of 150 wildfires burning 500 miles away in Quebec blanketed the city for a second day. In Brooklyn, some commuters appeared to repurpose pandemic-era masks for the walk to the subway, then removed them once they packed into air-conditioned trains. In the Bronx, playgrounds were empty, their jungle gyms nearly obscured by the haze. In Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty was barely visible. Many New Yorkers canceled plans and simply stayed shut up in their homes. Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York had been among the worst places on “the entire planet” for air quality on Tuesday. She urged schools to cancel all outdoor activities and for people to stay inside. “The bottom line is this: If you can stay indoors, stay indoors.” Some outdoor excursions were unavoidable: When Marcus Vinicius De Paula, 36, an artist who lives in Dumbo, stepped outside to walk his golden doodle, Henry, he had been overcome with not just a headache, but a sense of foreboding. “Everything is sort of hazy and in this apocalyptic context. It’s like something’s not right,” Mr. De Paula said. When he took Henry out on for another walk, this time it was with an N-95 mask he had on hand from the pandemic, adding to the sense of doom. “It’s triggering,” he said. With reports saying that the smoke would grow thicker as the day wore on, Michael Kuehn, 48, a health care consultant, took his 4-month-old daughter, Niva, out in the morning before the air quality plummeted. [86]AirNow, an air quality data monitor, indicated that air quality would dip to “very unhealthy” in the later part of the day. In the morning, at least, the conditions seemed to have been an improvement over Tuesday evening, after the haze first rolled in. Mr. Kuehn had participated in a bike race — a decision he regretted. “It was not a good idea,” he said. While Mayor Eric Adams warned that Wednesday was “not the day to train for a marathon,” some New Yorkers refused to skip their exercise routines — and were paying for it. At the Central Park Tennis Center, Joe Feldman, 68, showed up on Wednesday morning hoping to get a game in, a mask in hand. “I know it was going to be a little smoky, but I didn’t know how much,” he said. “I felt it. I actually felt it in my lungs.” On a run through Crown Heights, Patrick Doerksen, 32, who works in communications, paused to catch his breath. “I started coughing — I’m like, ‘What am I doing?’” Mr. Doerksen said. “But I still just need to move.” Animal welfare advocates asked the city to suspend carriage rides, a tourist staple around Central Park, until air quality returned to normal levels. “The current toxic conditions caused by hazardous wildfire smoke necessitate the protection of both” humans and horses, Edita Birnkrant, the executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, an anti-carriage industry group said. Around midday, the city’s Health Department issued a notice to all equestrian businesses in the city for the animals to stop work. Vahid Durmic, a building superintendent in the South Bronx, said that air quality is regularly so bad in his neighborhood that he rarely opens the windows of his apartment, and uses an air filter. The blanket of smoke, he feared, would exacerbate already poor conditions. “There is a lot of asthma here,” he said. “Today is really bad.” A few New Yorkers shrugged off the clouds of smoke. Puffing a cigar while perched on a low fence on West 118 Street, Freddy DeLarosa said he felt nothing at all. “It’s not affecting me,” Mr. DeLarosa said, between puffs. “But my kids say it’s hard to breathe.” Ana Ley, Michael D. Regan, Dana Rubinstein, Sadef Ali Kully, Luis Ferré-Sadurní, Sean Piccoli and Olivia Bensimon contributed reporting. (BUTTON) Show more Mitch Smith June 7, 2023, 2:29 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:29 p.m. ET Mitch Smith Reporting from Detroit (BUTTON) In Detroit there is a light haze and a bit of thickness to the air. But it is not overwhelming, the sun is visible and many people seem to be carrying on as normal. Natasha Tyson, a foreperson for a city blight removal crew working outdoors, said she had not really noticed the smoke. “We don’t have anything to do with Mother Nature,” she said. “We just do our part.” Jesse McKinley June 7, 2023, 2:29 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:29 p.m. ET Jesse McKinley Reporting from Buffalo, N.Y. (BUTTON) The hazy conditions are delaying flights into Buffalo, where the sky is slate gray and the light tinged with yellow. Luis Ferré Sadurní June 7, 2023, 2:25 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:25 p.m. ET Luis Ferré Sadurní Reporting from Albany, N.Y. (BUTTON) The hazy conditions in New York are likely to continue on Thursday and Friday, and potentially extend into the weekend, according to Basil Seggos, the commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “Ultimately, this is going to continue for the next few days and likely into the weekend,” he told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. “We’ll pray for rains up north and for winds to shift.” [87]Melissa Hoppert June 7, 2023, 2:21 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:21 p.m. ET [88]Melissa Hoppert (BUTTON) [89]The Belmont Stakes is still set for Saturday, for now at least. Image A horse training at Belmont Park on Wednesday. Officials are monitoring air quality ahead of the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.Credit...Al Bello/Getty Images The three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, headlined by the third leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday, is still set to begin Thursday at Belmont Park, in Elmont, N.Y. Patrick McKenna, vice president for communications for the New York Racing Association, which operates Belmont Park, said weather services and on-site equipment would be monitoring the air quality at the track. With smoke from wildfires in Canada shrouding the New York City area, the projected [90]Air Quality Index for Elmont was over 150 on Wednesday afternoon. At that level, the newly created [91]Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which is responsible for enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in American thoroughbred racing, advises tracks to “closely monitor” their facility. Tracks can also decide to “limit training to jogging and/or jogging and gallops only and be prepared to take further action if conditions worsen,” according to the authority. If over 175, the authority recommends restricting track activity, including but not limited to “canceling live racing (if applicable); canceling official workouts; and prohibiting galloping, breezing or anything more strenuous than a jog.” There were no races scheduled at Belmont on Wednesday, but morning training carried on as usual. The sport has been under increased scrutiny after 12 horses died at Churchill Downs in recent weeks, including seven ahead of the Kentucky Derby, and another was euthanized before the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. Mr. McKenna said the racing association would “continue to assess the overall environment to ensure the safety of training and racing throughout the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.” (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [92]Continue reading the main story [93]Joseph Goldstein [94]Sharon Otterman June 7, 2023, 2:18 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:18 p.m. ET [95]Joseph Goldstein and [96]Sharon Otterman (BUTTON) [97]What the ‘extra toxic’ air blanketing New York City means for residents. Image Health officials warned New Yorkers to stay indoors or wear masks as wildfire smoke worsened air quality across the city and state.Credit...Ed Jones/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Hospitals in New York City and elsewhere across the state said they had not seen a major uptick in emergency room visits related to the hazardous air quality conditions yet, but warned that people should continue to take precautions to avoid breathing in too many contaminants. Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the New York City health commissioner, warned that the fine particulate matter in the air can “get into people’s lungs, cause inflammation and worsen conditions like asthma, chronic lung disease or underlying heart conditions.” He added that older adults and children were particularly vulnerable, and encouraged people to limit their time outdoors and to wear a high quality mask if they did go out. The air quality over New York City is the worst it has been in decades, he and other officials said. Real-time readings clocked parts of New York City yesterday at an Air Quality Index level [98]of over [99]225, which is rated “very unhealthy.” While the quality had improved by Wednesday morning [100]to about 170, that level was still considered unhealthy. By [101]1:30 p.m. the level had spiked again to over 235, leaving the sky over Manhattan in a glowing orange haze. Spokesmen and officials at several New York City hospitals confirmed that they had yet to see an uptick in emergency room visits for respiratory complaints. At Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, however, there has been a “little uptick” in patients with headaches and coughs that appear to be consistent to exposure to the polluted air, said Frederick Davis, associate chair of the emergency department. He said that both people with and without underlying conditions appeared to be impacted. But the increase so far was manageable, he added, with eight patients on the roster early Wednesday afternoon complaining of respiratory symptoms. In the upstate city of Rochester, the emergency department at Strong Memorial Hospital, and some affiliated urgent cares, were seeing an uptick in patients with respiratory issues, a spokeswoman said. Asthma is a problem in New York, disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic children and those living in poorer neighborhoods, according to city data. It is [102]a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations in New York City. [103]About 17 percent of children under 13 in the Bronx had been diagnosed with asthma relative to 11 percent of children citywide, according to a 2021 Department of Health report. Long-term exposure to the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke (known as PM2.5 because each particle is smaller than 2.5 micrometers across, [104]about one-thirtieth the width of a strand of hair) has also been linked to developmental problems in children and cognitive impairment in older adults, as well as premature labor and low birth weights. Mayor Eric Adams urged all New Yorkers to “limit outdoor activity to the greatest extent possible” and that “vulnerable New Yorkers should stay inside” and keep their windows shut. “This is not the day to train for a marathon or do an outdoor event with your children,” he said. Dr. Darby Jack, a professor of environmental health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, said that for most New Yorkers, the pollution was “more of an annoyance than a crisis.” “For people with asthma and heart disease, it’s a bit more of a concern,” said Dr. Jack, who studies the long-term health effects of air pollution. He said that staying indoors was fine advice but that without a high-quality air filter, indoor air “will tend to reflect what’s outside.” “The levels are high enough that were they to persist, they would be a real concern, but the saving grace is that it’s a relatively short-term event,” he said. [105]For many people [106]around the world, he noted, “these exposures are literally the daily reality.” (BUTTON) Show more June 7, 2023, 2:12 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:12 p.m. ET Hilary Howard (BUTTON) [107]Central New York’s air quality has been the worst in the state all day. Early on Wednesday, some of the worst air quality readings came from the central New York region. In Syracuse, the air quality index, a measure of how safe the air is to breathe, surpassed 400 on a 0-500 scale, according to [108]AirNow. Now Binghamton is seeing even higher levels. “This is a totally unprecedented event for the East Coast,” said Ethan Coffel, a climatologist at Syracuse University, who added that he was staying indoors today, with his air purifiers running. “There has never been a smoke event this widespread and this severe.” Mr. Coffel was referring to the traveling smoke plumes, originally from raging fires in Canada, that are making their way through New York and the Mid-Atlantic States, and currently turning New York City orange. These are hazardous conditions, said Mike Hardiman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Binghamton, about 60 miles south of Syracuse, where air quality this afternoon clocked in at 438 (anything over 301 on the scale is considered “hazardous”). The scene there “looks like Mars” and “smells like cigars,” he said. Upstate New York looks like Mars right now due to smoke. This is from [109]@NWSBinghamton. The sky is orange (only longer wavelengths of light penetrate the veil of smoke). Air quality indices pushing 400. Hazardous to all. Visibility down to just 1 mile. [110]#smoke [111]#CanadaWildfires [112]pic.twitter.com/RPCVk5wzUg — Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) [113]June 7, 2023 In Syracuse, “it’s incredibly hazy and it smells like burned popcorn,” said Robert Wilson, an associate professor in the geography and environment department at Syracuse University. Wednesday morning, Mr. Wilson, who had elected to exercise indoors at the Y.M.C.A., said the streetlights in a nearby parking lot were turned on, as if it were night time. Going outside makes his throat hurt and his eyes itchy, he said, and as an expert in climate change and outdoor activities, he is concerned about how increased pollutants in the air from wildfires will affect summer camps and other children’s activities this summer and in the future. Mr. Coffel said that he was “personally surprised” at the speed and severity of the changing air quality in Syracuse. But as a climatologist, he added, he should not have been. Increased wildfires, he said, are a “longstanding trend we are quite confident is driven by climate change.” (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [114]Continue reading the main story [115]Apoorva Mandavilli June 7, 2023, 2:06 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:06 p.m. ET [116]Apoorva Mandavilli (BUTTON) [117]Americans have seen their share of respiratory troubles this year. Image Commuters donned masks on Wednesday in Manhattan.Credit...Justin Lane/EPA, via Shutterstock It’s been a bad year for American lungs. There was the pandemic, of course, caused by a respiratory virus. Then the tripledemic, winter’s miserable collision of the coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus and the flu. And now this: smoke from Canadian wildfires shrouding much of the nation. Have the previous waves of infection left our lungs more vulnerable to the latest respiratory assault? People who developed pneumonia as a result of a Covid or were hospitalized for myocarditis — inflammation of the heart muscle — or other conditions linked to the infection should be vigilant, said Dr. Daniel Sterman, director of pulmonary medicine at NYU Langone Health. “Any of those post-Covid serious conditions would put you at greater risk of complications from this wildfire smoke,” he said. But the smoke is more likely to be problematic for the larger populations of people with asthma, chronic pulmonary disease or heart disease, or those whose lungs have been ravaged by cancer or other illnesses. Children, older adults, pregnant women and those with weak immune systems are at [118]particular risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And for people who are generally sensitive to irritants like pollen, pet dander or smoke, “there’s a good chance that this could affect you more than others,” said Dr. Scott Goldberg, director of emergency medical services for Mass General Brigham. The smoke poses less risk to everyone else. Still, Dr. Goldberg said, “if you start experiencing some wheezing, chest congestion, feeling of shortness of breath or general irritation, remove yourself from that environment.” The smoke caused by wildfires can comprise a vast array of harmful pollutants, from gases like carbon monoxide to lead and other toxic metals. The most hazardous pollutants are particles narrower than 2.5 micrometers — roughly 50 times smaller than a grain of sand. Wildfire can also generate ground-level ozone, which can irritate the lungs, Dr. Goldberg said. Nose hair can trap most larger substances, including dust, pollen and bacteria, but smaller airborne particles can slip past those defenses and travel deep into the lungs. Cloth masks will not do much to prevent small particles from entering the airways; an N95 or equivalent offers the best protection. Air quality is measured on a scale from 0 to 500. People without risk factors may begin to experience symptoms when the air quality index reaches 150. By early afternoon on Wednesday, New York City was reporting an index of 235; Syracuse was over 400. The expert advice now? It’s not what we heard so often during the pandemic. “We’re just in the opposite situation right now — being indoors is safer,” Dr. Sterman said. (BUTTON) Show more Jesus Jimenez June 7, 2023, 2:05 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:05 p.m. ET Jesus Jimenez (BUTTON) As a smoke plume reached New York City, making the skyline look orange, the air quality index has reached 235, meaning that air quality is “very unhealthy,” according to AirNow, which monitors air quality across the United States. At these levels, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should avoid physical outdoor activities, according to AirNow. Joseph Goldstein June 7, 2023, 2:04 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:04 p.m. ET Joseph Goldstein (BUTTON) “I’m looking outside and it’s ominous,” Professor Jack Caravanos of NYU School of Global Public Health said from his office in Manhattan, as the air quality index in New York City worsened and reached a new high of 235. “It’s a scary yellow haze in the sky. No clouds. It’s like a lid on the city.” June 7, 2023, 2:02 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 2:02 p.m. ET [119]Troy Closson Reporting from New York (BUTTON) [120]Schools in the Northeast cancel recess and close early as air quality worsens. Image Public officials across the region warned schools and families to keep children indoors as smoke from Canadian fires worsened air quality.Credit...Juan Arredondo for The New York Times In New York City and several large cities across the state, all outdoor activities and field trips were canceled for students on Wednesday as Gov. Kathy Hochul strongly urged districts “who have not yet done so to follow suit.” In New Jersey, some districts devised plans [121]to dismiss students several hours early, while calling off after-school programs and outdoor sporting competitions. And in Philadelphia, teachers were asked to keep their classroom windows shut, while some [122]schools sent families a message that many had not heard in months: “Please encourage your students to mask today.” As smoke from Canadian wildfires continued to pollute parts of the Northeastern United States on Wednesday afternoon and raise concerns over how the air quality could affect children, many school districts, from [123]Washington, D.C. to [124]Connecticut, kept students indoors. Health experts [125]appealed to families to keep children indoors as well, particularly those who already have asthma. Young people are especially vulnerable when breathing in wildfire smoke, and even lower levels of air pollution can harm them. Communication was not seamless everywhere, however. In New York, for example, some families reported early Wednesday that their schools still planned to hold field trips or outdoor lunches. But the chancellor, David C. Banks, reiterated that those plans were not allowed. “We are in the midst of a serious situation,” Mr. Banks said. “We don’t want to put the health of any of our kids in jeopardy.” City officials asked that “special attention be made to vulnerable students and staff” during school hours on Wednesday. Like many cities, New York does not set an [126]air quality index reading that would automatically prompt school closure. When smoke conditions remain poor for longer periods, doctors encourage using masks for children. Their time outdoors should also be limited, and adults should watch for breathing troubles, fatigue or appetite loss. The flurry of cancellations disappointed some children who missed out on long-awaited end-of-year activities. At. P.S. 40, in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, a planned excursion to Ellis Island was called off, to the dismay of some fourth graders. The school’s principal told families in an email that teachers and staff would “keep an extra eye on students who have asthma or other health issues.” Some schools went even further. At the Brooklyn Friends School, an independent school in Downtown Brooklyn, a day trip to Prospect Park was canceled — and administrators opted to close the entire school. By late afternoon on Wednesday, several charter networks and independent schools were still weighing whether in-person classes would be held on Thursday. But even if the smoke lingers, city officials will not face the same dilemma: Traditional public schools were already scheduled to be closed on Thursday and Friday. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [127]Continue reading the main story Daniel Victor June 7, 2023, 1:54 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 1:54 p.m. ET Daniel Victor (BUTTON) The Lower Manhattan skyline was muted from Brooklyn Bridge Park, where photographers marveled at the unusual scene from the waterfront. One couple took engagement photos that probably won’t turn out as they had imagined. [128]Niraj Chokshi June 7, 2023, 1:50 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 1:50 p.m. ET [129]Niraj Chokshi (BUTTON) [130]Some flights are halted or delayed as low visibility impairs air traffic. Image Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires has started to affect flights in the New York region.Credit...Alyssa Goodman/Associated Press The smoke from wildfires affected flights in the northeastern United States on Wednesday, causing delays and leading the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly halt some flights into the New York area and slow some flights into Philadelphia. “The agency will adjust the volume of traffic to account for the rapidly changing conditions,” it said in a statement. Smoke can affect visibility, in similar ways to low clouds or fog. Pilots are able to land planes under such conditions, but extra precautions must be taken. By midafternoon, the agency had lifted its pause on some flights into La Guardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport, but departing flights faced long delays — on average, 119 minutes at LaGuardia and 82 minutes at Newark. The F.A.A. also said it had slowed flights from the East Coast and Midwest headed for Philadelphia International Airport because of reduced visibility caused by the wildfire smoke. Still, the broader effect on flights was limited. By midafternoon, more than 130 flights within the United States had been canceled, while more than 2,600 flights were delayed, according to data from FlightAware. The level of disruption is similar to that of an average day. (BUTTON) Show more [131]Dani Blum June 7, 2023, 1:47 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 1:47 p.m. ET [132]Dani Blum (BUTTON) [133]Here’s how to keep pets safe from wildfire smoke. Image Credit...Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The guidance that goes for humans also applies to pets: When the air is intensely polluted, limit the time your pet is outside. “The air we breathe, pets feel it too,” said Dr. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer at the American Kennel Club. Older animals with underlying medical problems, like heart, respiratory or pulmonary conditions, are particularly vulnerable, he said. Birds are especially at risk because of the construction of their respiratory systems, said Meghan Rebuli, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine who specializes in air pollution. Birds that are exposed to smoke may act lethargic and struggle to breathe; their tails may bob, and they may sit in the bottom of their cages. Those symptoms can manifest days or even weeks after exposure, Dr. Rebuli said. Watch out for coughing or gagging, particularly in cats, which rarely exhibit these behaviors. The first thing you should do is call your veterinarian if you see those symptoms, Dr. Klein said. If your pet is stumbling or acting more lethargic than usual, you should also reach out to your veterinarian, said Dr. Lori Teller, the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Take note if your pet seems unable to eat or drink. You should also call your veterinarian if you notice dogs and cats pawing at their eyes, which indicates irritation; in the meantime, you can saturate a cotton ball with lukewarm water and squeeze it over your animal’s eyes to help flush them out, Dr. Klein said. And keep an ear out for noisy, labored breathing, especially in certain breeds like pugs, which are prone to breathing difficulties. Get them to a vet as soon as possible. While indoors, keep your windows closed, Dr. Rebuli said, and you may want to keep pets in a room with an air purifier, like one with a HEPA filter. Make sure your pets are not exercising outside, said Dr. Teller. If you are stuck indoors for prolonged periods, consider playing ball with a dog in a long hallway, if you have the space, or using puzzle toys to help occupy your animal. You can take dogs out to relieve themselves, but keep it short. “You want to be in and out,” Dr. Klein said. (BUTTON) Show more Advertisement [134]Continue reading the main story Katie Rogers June 7, 2023, 1:47 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 1:47 p.m. ET Katie Rogers (BUTTON) Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, just told reporters that the United States has deployed 600 firefighters and supplies, including water-bomber aircrafts, to assist Canada. She called the wildfires “yet another alarming example of the ways in which climate crisis is disturbing our lives and our communities,” and said several federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and FEMA, were coordinating with local governments affected by the fires. June 7, 2023, 1:45 p.m. ET June 7, 2023, 1:45 p.m. ET [135]Matt Stevens, [136]Michael Paulson and [137]Julia Jacobs (BUTTON) [138]A Taj Mahal concert in Prospect Park was canceled as the smoke threatened more outdoor performances. Image An outdoor concert featuring Taj Mahal was canceled in Brooklyn.Credit...Amy Harris/Invision, via Associated Press A free evening of music in Prospect Park Wednesday night starring the blues musician [139]Taj Mahal and the singer Corinne Bailey Rae that had been expected to draw Brooklynites from around the borough was canceled because of poor air quality, event organizers said. The concert was to have been the opening night of [140]BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn, an annual free music series that fills the area around the Lena Horne Bandshell with picnickers on many summer nights. But in a statement, BRIC said that because of what it called an “unprecedented air quality situation in New York” it had made the “difficult decision” to cancel. Officials said the performances would not be rescheduled. “The health of our staff and the communities we serve is the number one priority for BRIC and we can’t, in good conscience, risk the well-being of our friends and neighbors who may have high risk health issues,” Wes Jackson, BRIC’s president, said in a statement. Vineyard Theater, an Off Broadway nonprofit theater in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, canceled Wednesday night’s performance of the play “This Land Was Made,” citing “hazardous air quality conditions.” In Central Park in Manhattan, the Public Theater canceled outdoor rehearsals for this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of “Hamlet” on Wednesday and were monitoring conditions as they waited to decide whether to go ahead with Wednesday night’s invited dress rehearsal, where the play was to be performed outdoors for a small audience of friends, family and theater staff. “Hamlet” is scheduled to begin preview performances at the open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park on Thursday night, and a spokeswoman for the theater said it was too early to know whether that might be affected. A live dance performance by the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company scheduled for Wednesday evening in Times Square was also “canceled due to air conditions,” according to [141]the official website for Times Square. Outdoor performances at Lincoln Center begin next week, and a spokeswoman for the institution said that, as always, officials would monitor the weather carefully and make adjustments as needed. And the New York Philharmonic, which is scheduled to begin its outdoor concerts in parks around the city next week, is closely monitoring forecasts, a spokesman said. 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