International

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – New York City, United States, is now in an emergency situation. The sky over the metropolis became shrouded in a reddish haze as people once again wore masks.

This is linked to the abundance of fire smoke from Canada which continues to hang over the region. New York was even ranked as the city with the worst pollution index in the world on Wednesday (6/7/2023).

Quote CNBC International, Yesterday afternoon, the AQI (political indicator) reached 342 local time. This is a danger level for all residents.

“Even though schools are still active, most of them organize outdoor activities. Indeed, the air quality is expected to deteriorate,” the media wrote.

It is known that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also stopped several flights to New York's LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday due to smoke. Visibility also caused delays at Newark Liberty International Airport.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul declared poor air quality an “emergency crisis.” He warned that this could continue in the coming days.

“If you can stay indoors, stay indoors. This is detrimental to public health,” Hochul told reporters.

Municipal authorities advised residents to limit outdoor activities. They also warn that children, the elderly and people with pre-existing respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable.

Smoke from forest fires releases fine particles, called PM2.5. It enters the lungs and causes health problems such as asthma and bronchitis.

PM2.5 concentrations in New York are currently 15 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual air quality guideline. New York City also issued an air quality health alert through Thursday.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation also issued an air quality and health advisory for all five counties. City officials said they expect the warning to remain in effect for the next few days, but added that it is very difficult to predict the state of the smoke.

“This is probably the first time we’ve had something like this of this magnitude,” Mayor Eric Adams said.

“Climate change is accelerating this situation. We must continue to reduce emissions, improve air quality and build resilience,” he said.

Previously, forest fires occurred in Quebec, in central Canada. Smoke continues to drift south, including toward the United States.

Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season, with more than 400 active fires. This happens in almost all Canadian provinces and territories.

Federal authorities said last week that wildfires had burned more than 6.7 million acres. Around 26,000 people are under evacuation orders.

(sef/sef)