2023 Canadian wildfires

Smoke from the massive wildfires in Canada was a serious climate and health concern for our region this year. Right now the air has cleared, but concerns over the impact on public health and the environment remain.

Centers for Disease Control studies increased asthma-related ER visits by 17% nationwide during 19 of the smokiest days. On the worst air quality day in New York state, those visits spiked 82%.

Twice during the month of June, state health officials had to issue alerts about unhealthy air quality caused by smoke from the unusually large number of Canadian wildfires. Those fires continue to burn, and Gov. Kathy Hochul, at a recent briefing, says the smoke will return periodically.

Chicago saw its air quality plummet, while other cities including Detroit, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh were experiencing unhealthy air quality levels.

State officials are again warning that unhealthy, smoky air from multiple wildfires burning in Canada will drift over New York this week.

U.S. federal legislators are racing to create short and long-term plans to deal with poor air quality from the Canadian wildfires. It’s shaping up to be a problem in the Northeast this summer.

Smoke and haze over the Northeast from Canadian wildfires forced residents to take some extra precautions. But wildlife experts say it is too soon to tell if there will be any long-term health impacts on animals.

Christina Lamoureux planned a perfect wedding. Now she is among the unlucky set of soon-to-be married couples frantically making contingency plans as clouds of polluted air linger over their nuptials.

Much of the Northeast U.S. is blanketed in a murky haze of wildfire smoke. For most people breathing this air is unpleasant, for others it can be life-threatening. There are ways to reduce the risk.

How bad does the air get inside your house? What should schools do about recess? Western states have grappled with all that before.