‘Looks straight out of Mad Max’: Canadian wildfires bringing orange smoke to New York City

Smoke from wildfires in Canada have reached New York City – about 530 kilometres south of Quebec’s border.

As of June 8th, New York City is still at an unhealthy state of air quality according to the United States’ official Air Quality Index (AQI). The city was even ranked first on IQAir, which tracks and provides real-time global air quality information, as having the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday, June 7th.

Global ranking of cities with the worst air quality on the morning of June 8th, 2023. (Credit: IQAir/Screenshot)

“We had smog and terrible breathing conditions. My eyes were burning at one point,” said American-Montrealer Alexis Ramos, who arrived in New York City on Tuesday by train – just a day before the smog came.

“Every time we would come out, it would just be even more yellow than before.”

Ramos described her skin turning yellow and her eyes itching from the smoke. As day turned to night, she said the smog got better, but breathing problems persisted.

“Looks straight out of Mad Max,” Ramos said. Many people online commenting on photos and videos of the orange haze, noting the similarity to a scene from the dystopian sci-fi movie Blade Runner 2049.

Orange smog from Canadian wildfires concealing New York City’s skyline on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023. (Photo Credit: Alexis Ramos)

Since May 30th, Nature Resources Canada highlighted most of Quebec seeing extreme levels of fire danger. However, the official Air Quality Health Index of Canada shows Quebec and Montreal at low risk as of June 8th, 2023.

Side by side of maps indicating fire danger levels in Canada, red being extreme, out of control, and fast-spreading fires. Map on the left shows data from May 30th, 2023 and the right, data from June 7th, 2023. (Credit: Natural Resources Canada/Screenshots)

How to protect yourself from hazardous levels of air pollution?

According to cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos, “the most important thing that people can do to stay healthy is not go outside.

“Especially if you’re at higher risk for lung conditions. If you have pre-existing asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, if you’re an older individual, if you have underlying comorbidities, the best thing that you can do is stay home, close your windows.

“If you have an air purifier at home, put that on to try to clean the air as much as possible. And if you have to go outside to do essential activities, I would wear a mask.”

Dr. Labos said wearing an N95 mask helps prevent inhaling fine particulate matter that could damage your lungs, which is what Ramos says some people in New York are already doing in.

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Businesses in the Big Apple closed early, Ramos said. Her plans to see Shakespeare in the Park and a music festival in Brooklyn were all cancelled and postponed for next week due to the smoke.

Ramos said the air appears to be “much, much, much better” compared to yesterday, when she couldn’t see the skyline from Brooklyn.

“It’s a lot more breathable. Still wearing a mask because the air quality isn’t the best,” Ramos said.