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Explained | Flight delays, closure of schools, zoos, even Broadway. How wildfires disrupted New York

New York, United States Edited By: Nishtha BadgamiaUpdated: Jun 09, 2023, 08:00 PM IST
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This comes as forest fires continue to rage in Canada with nearly 3.8 million hectares already burnt which has prompted evacuations of thousands of people across Canada and also covered several cities in the United States with a smoky haze. (File Photos) Photograph:(Agencies)

Story highlights

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified the air quality in many parts of the northeastern US as “unhealthy,” particularly for individuals with respiratory issues. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Thursday, said that flights to NYC-area and Philadelphia airports have been delayed after the smoke reduced visibility. How the Big Apple and surrounding US cities are getting affected by wildfires in Canada. WION Explains!

One of the major US cities, New York, has been disrupted as millions of people were affected by a thick hazardous blanket of smoke which descended over the city due to the ongoing wildfires across the border in Canada. 

As of Thursday (June 8), local media reports said that the air quality in the city is the worst in decades which has affected flights to the NYC area and Philadelphia, as well as prompted the closure of some schools and sports and other events. It also led to cancellations of shows on Broadway. 

How bad is the air quality in New York?

The Air Quality Index (AQI), as of Thursday morning, was reported to be 183 on a scale of 0-500, while it peaked on Wednesday afternoon at 405, which is the worst air quality on record for New York City. The previous record was 279 back in 1981. 

This comes as forest fires continue to rage in Canada with nearly 3.8 million hectares already burnt, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people across Canada while also covering several cities in the United States with a smoky haze. 

New York state officials issued another Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday for the entire state except for the northern region of the Adirondacks. “The air quality is forecasted to reach ‘Unhealthy’ AQI levels in NYC Metro, Long Island, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central & Western NY,” said the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, in a tweet. 

As per data from the Switzerland-based IQAir, as of 11:00 am (local time), PM2.5 concentration was 19.8 times the World Health Organization’s annual air quality guideline value. However, no respite is expected any time soon as reports say the smoke is set to intensify in Canada’s Ottawa and Toronto, as well as several US cities including Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York, and so on. 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified the air quality in many parts of the northeastern US as “unhealthy", particularly for individuals with respiratory issues. Speaking to BBC, Professor Matthew Adams, the director of the Centre of Urban Environments at the University of Toronto, noted the immediate effects of inhaling wildfire smoke. 

This includes shortness of breath, elevated pulse, chest pain, and inflammation in the eyes, nose, and throat, “On these elevated air pollution days, we’ll see an increased number of visits to the hospital,” Adams told BBC.

Thousands of flights delayed

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday said that flights to NYC-area and Philadelphia airports have been delayed after the smoke reduced visibility. The agency also said that there were delays averaging 54 minutes at NYC’s LaGuardia Airport. This was after some flights were also halted. 

The FAA also warned that further delays may also take place for flights going to Washington and Charlotte, North Carolina. Visibility issues also reportedly caused some delays at the Newark Liberty Airport. 

Meanwhile, one of the biggest carriers in the US, United Airlines, said that it is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers who have been forced to reschedule trips Thursday and Friday for cities impacted. 

Several schools across New York shut

According to local media reports, several schools in the NYC area were closed, as of Thursday. Meanwhile, NYC public schools announced that while schools will be open, all outdoor activities have been cancelled. “We urge everyone to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. All NYC Public Schools will be cancelling all outdoor activities today,” NYC Public Schools, said in a statement. 

Broadway shows cancelled, postponed

A report by NBC News New York said that Wednesday’s matinee performance on Broadway was cancelled 10 minutes after it started as Jodie Comer in the production of her one-woman show, ‘Prima Facie’, “had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires.” 

The report also added that performances of ‘Camelot’ and ‘Hamilton’ were also postponed after producers raised concerns over the air quality.

NYC zoos and aquariums shut after drop in air quality

The four major zoos in NYC - Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo - as well as the NY Aquarium, were shut on Wednesday at 3:00 pm (local time), “out of concern for our staff, visitors and animals,” said the Bronx Zoo in a statement. 

MLB game postponed

The Major League Baseball (MLB) match between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees was postponed on Wednesday night due to the poor air quality. However, the Yankees also announced it will be played on Thursday. However, reports suggest that the decision would depend on the air quality. 

New Yorkers advised to mask-up

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also announced that the state was making one million N95 masks available at state facilities. On Thursday, she also said air quality continues to be unhealthy in many areas of the state and asked people to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and avoid strenuous activities to reduce negative health effects. 

“If you must travel outdoors, high-quality masks help reduce exposure. Stay safe, New York,” said Hochul. This also comes a day after she said officials “highly recommend that outdoor activities be postponed or cancelled as we wait for safer air quality conditions.” 

US offers to help Canada with ‘historic’ wildfires

US President Joe Biden also offered Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “additional support to respond to the devastating and historic wildfires burning in Canada,” said the White House, after the two leaders spoke. 

It added, “The President has directed his team to deploy all available Federal firefighting assets that can rapidly assist in suppressing fires impacting Canadian and American communities. To date, the United States has deployed more than 600 US firefighters and support personnel, and other firefighting assets to respond to the fires.”

Weather to make matters worse

So far, officials not just in New York but several cities on the east coast have extended “Code Red” air quality alerts for the third day. The smoke from the wildfires in Canada also moved over to Greenland and Iceland, earlier this month, and is expected to reach Norway on Thursday. 

US National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey, as per The Associated Press, also said that weather has also been a driving factor in the Canadian-American smokeout, which he attributed to a low-pressure system over Maine and Nova Scotia and “will probably be hanging around at least for the next few days.” 

He added, “Conditions are likely to remain unhealthy, at least until the wind direction changes or the fires get put out. However, considering that the fires are still raging and are really large, the advisory might continue for weeks." Ramsey added that “it’s really just going be all about the wind shift".

(With inputs from agencies) 

 

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