AI can help forecast air quality, but freak events like 2023's summer of wildfire smoke require traditional methods too

Thick smoke rolling in from Canada's 2023 wildfires was a wakeup call for several cities. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Wildfire smoke from Canada’s extreme fire season has left a lot of people thinking about air quality and wondering what to expect in the days ahead.

All air contains gaseous compounds and small particles. But as air quality gets worse, these gases and particles can trigger asthma and exacerbate heart and respiratory problems as they enter the nose, throat and lungs and even circulate in the bloodstream. When wildfire smoke turned New York City’s skies orange in early June 2023, emergency room visits for asthma doubled.