Air pollution in New York: New York City topped the list of the world’s worst air pollution on Tuesday as more than a hundred wildfires in Quebec sent harmful smoke billowing out to the south. CNN reports that smoke from the Canadian fires has periodically affected the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic for more than a week, raising concerns about the loss of air quality that continues to deteriorate.
New York City’s air quality index was above 200 [a level that is ‘very unhealthy’] at one point on Tuesday night, according to IQair. The city had the worst air quality of any major metropolitan area at 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to Qair.
According to the report, Qair said on Tuesday late-night New York City was the city with the second worst air pollution level in the world after New Delhi, India. Other cities on the list were Doha, Qatar; Baghdad, Iraq; and Lahore, Pakistan were included. New York City also remained on top for some time on Tuesday morning. On Tuesday, the concentration of PM2.5 in the air of New York City was 10 times higher than the guideline set by the World Health Organization.
At least 10 school districts in central New York State cancelled outdoor activities and events on Tuesday due to rising pollution. School district announcements said those activities included academic, athletic and extracurricular programs, while outdoor recess and gym classes were also cancelled.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, more than 150 active wildfires are burning in Quebec this week, more than double the number of fires burning in any other Canadian province.
