Millions of Americans on alert for poor air quality | News

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USA) reported this Wednesday that more than 100 million people are under air quality alerts in that country, as a result of the Canadian forest fires.

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Regions of the Northeast, from Chicago in the west to Atlanta in the south, are in Code Orange or harmful to sensitive groups; while parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic are Code Red, or unhealthy for everyone.

According to the agency, the winds from the Canadian province of Quebec, where more than 100 fires are burning out of control, are affecting 18 states in the northern country.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) agrees with this, noting that smoke from Canada's forest fires currently affects the air in New York City.

According to the Binghamton, New York-based NWS Forecast Office, the current air quality on the US East Coast falls into the very unhealthy category.

Likewise, New York Mayor Eric Adams indicated on his Twitter social network account that "we are in the worst of conditions, but the health and air quality advisory has been extended until 11:59 (local time) on Thursday."

Adams urged city residents to avoid outdoor exposure, warning that children, older adults and heart patients may be sensitive to poor air quality.

"Exposure may cause short-term health effects, including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and difficulty breathing," the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said in a statement. in English) from New York.

For their part, the authorities of the states of New Jersey, Maryland, Saint Louis, Philadelphia and Delaware also issued an alert for unhealthy air and recommended people not to expose themselves to open places.

Given the situation, the airports of Laguardia and Newark, in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco in California and Orlando in Florida, experienced delays due to low visibility caused by the weather.

In this sense, the Flighaware, estimated at 1,800 delayed flights today in the United States.

On this day it transpired that the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, updated on his Government's response to the more than 400 forest fires that burn in Canada, more than half of them out of control.

"The situation of forest fires continues to be serious throughout the country," said the premier. It is estimated that more than 40,000 square kilometers have been burned so far, making 2023 the fourth worst fire season on record in Canada before the official start of summer.