Air Quality Health Advisory issued across NY as wildfire smoke from Canada impacts region
New York state has issued an air quality alert for Monday as the ongoing wildfires in Canada continue to affect the region. The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner, Basil Seggos, and the State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner, Dr. James McDonald, jointly issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for various regions of the state.
The advisory encompasses the following areas: Long Island, New York City Metro, Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York, and Western New York. Officials have indicated that the advisory will be in effect from midnight until 11:59 p.m. Monday, with a fine particulate matter advisory and an ozone advisory in effect from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., respectively.
Concerns have been raised regarding the air quality, particularly for sensitive groups. State officials have urged caution for these individuals when spending time outdoors, even if the smoke is not as visibly prominent as in previous weeks.
The issuance of Air Quality Health Advisories by the DEC and DOH occurs when their meteorologists predict pollution levels, specifically ozone or fine particulate matter, to surpass an Air Quality Index value of 100.
Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the situation on Sunday, stating that the unhealthy air resulting from the Canadian wildfires was expected to affect parts of New York state, primarily the northern and western regions. In these areas, the air quality index was forecasted to range between 100 and 150, well above the normal range of 0 to 50. Governor Hochul made these remarks during a news conference focused on heavy rain and flooding issues.
She commented, “As if the rain coming out of the sky isn’t enough, if you start looking up tomorrow, you’re going to see a similar situation to what we had a couple of weeks ago because of the air quality degradation resulting from the wildfires in Canada. We’re likely to be issuing an air quality alert for portions of our state. It seems to be projected to be mostly around western New York and the North Country at this time. But as we saw, it can shift very quickly and start developing in more populated areas.”
Governor Hochul also announced on Saturday that New York welcomed back the latest group of Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers who had been providing assistance in Canada to combat the flames. The state will continue to rotate support to aid in containment efforts.
Reflecting on the impact of the Canadian wildfires, Governor Hochul stated, “New Yorkers understand all too well the hazardous impact smoke from the Canadian wildfires have on daily life. We are fortunate to have brave individuals willing to step up to help those in need, and I thank our courageous firefighters whose efforts are critical in containing these wildfires.”
Residents can stay informed about Air Quality Alerts by signing up for notifications through DEC Delivers, the official communication channel of the Department of Environmental Conservation.