On Wednesday (June 7), the air quality in New York City was the worst of any major city in the world, due to smoke billowing over the northern U.S. border from wildfires in eastern Canada. With wildfires predicted to become more commonplace with climate change, the alarming pollution could be a sign of what's to come.
The National Weather Service first issued an air quality alert for New York City on Tuesday (June 6); this alert will remain in effect until the end of Thursday (June 8), but could be extended if necessary. By Wednesday afternoon, an intense yellow-orange haze hung over the city. Pollution from wildfire smoke consists of tiny particles, called particulate matter (PM), that can cause damage to the respiratory system when inhaled.
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