Wildfires ripping through a Canadian province have left a populous US city 'looking like Mars' as residents report they're struggling to breathe.
Residents have reported the smoke from the fires, which are burning in Nova Scotia and Quebec, has made its way to New York. Some have said the smoke from the fires is "making it hard to breathe" and have reported a "haze over everything".
One Twitter user in New York City has described the air quality as "rough". Ejeris Dixon tweeted from their handle @ejeris, saying: "The air quality situation in NYC is rough today. I'm struggling to breathe with an air purifier and the windows shut.
"I'm sending love to the other asthmatics and folks with breathing related health issues. #ClimateCrisis is so real. Take care of each other."
Others have shared images comparing their normal view with clear skies and easily visible skyscrapers, to the views today, June 7, which shows hazy skies filled with smoke and an orange tinge cast over the city. Others have warned that it "isn't safe" and urged people to "stay inside".
Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan has warned: "Our guidance, as we said, is that all New Yorkers should limit their outdoor exposure, stay indoors if you can, unless it's necessary. If you do need to go out, or you choose to go out, wearing a mask is recommended."
People sharing images on social media of the views across New York City have said it's "looking like something out of a science fiction movie", with others saying the view resemble an "apocalypse".
Hazy skies have been seen as far south as the Carolinas and Florida with air quality alerts put in place in southeastern Minesorta and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
An air quality advisory was also put in place for several regions of New York state on Tuesday, June 6. Air monitoring from New York City showed measures considered unhealthy for anyone, let alone those with respiratory issues on Tuesday afternoon.
The area forecast from the National Weather Service warns "thick smoke" is "currently moving into the area from the north and west".
It's been warned visibility will continue to drop with smoke becoming thicker. The air pollution has spiked due to the wildfires raging in Nova Scotia and Quebec. Around 150 wildfires were active in Quebec, according to the Candian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Many of these fires started days, and even weeks, ago. A storm system working off the coast of Nova Scotia in recent days has forced smoke from these fires south into the US and then east, toward some of the US' most densley populated areas.
In Nova Scotia, a record-size wildfire in Shelburne County is unlikely to move unless conditions change, officials have said. The Barrington Lake fire is currently spread across almost 25,000 hectares and still out of control.
As of Tuesday night, it's classified as "being held", and is the largest of the five active wildfire in the Maritime province.
