The Canadian wildfires this summer exposed people to secondhand smoke at levels not seen since smoking was banned indoors in 2006, according to preliminary findings from Rutgers University researchers.
Since the worst of the pollution from June 6 to 8, Philadelphia and other East Coast cities have continued to experience periodic dips in air quality. Parts of Philadelphia were under a “code orange” alert at least two days this week, again due to wildfire smoke. (A “code orange” indicates that the air outside may be unhealthy for the elderly, children, and those with preexisting health conditions.)
The researchers in the ongoing study sought to understand the fires’ impact on air quality in the Northeast United States and give insight to how this pollution could affect people’s health, as such fires become more common with climate change, according to a statement Tuesday.
