Poor air quality concerns from Canada wildfires continue Thursday
The weather pattern pushing the smoke from the Canadian wildfires into our area is slated to continue until Friday for most of the state. Experts say smoke particles can prompt headaches, irritated eyes and a scratchy throat. Everyone should limit strenuous outdoor activities - especially the most vulnerable.
Photos: Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets northeastern U.S.
🔴It's a code RED day for poor air quality in PA🔴
🔥Smoke from Canadian wildfires arrived yesterday and well see more of it today.
✅Best advice is to limit time outside today & avoid strenuous activity.
Check on those that normally have breathing issues.@PEMAHQ #PAWX pic.twitter.com/zHt7nLjln8— Jeff Jumper PEMA (@JeffJumperWX) June 7, 2023
Wednesday, the views from Mount Washington were hazy ones. Smoke and haze in the air is coming from ongoing wildfires in eastern Canada. It’s prompted Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection to declare a Code Red Air Quality Alert.
How to protect yourself, your house, pets from wildfire smoke →
According to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, poor air quality can cause:
Asthma attacks
Eye & sinus irritation
Fatigue
Difficulty breathing
Chest pains
Irritated throat
Increased coughing.
They recommend limiting time outdoors and avoiding strenuous activity. Keep an eye on people with breathing issues.
Photos: Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets northeastern U.S.
“I think it’s kind of crazy that it can travel that far,” said Liam Kruck.
Wednesday, New York City had the worst air quality in the entire world.
Victoria Mangadaeve lives in New York City and left at 5 a.m. Wednesday to drive to Pittsburgh where she’s visiting friends.
“It was very, pretty smokey. Hard to breathe and it was like a red sun in the sky, pretty scary,” Mangadaeve said.
She says the conditions got better as she crossed the Pennsylvania border Wednesday, but Thursday, we’re slated to have worse conditions in our area.
“It’s surprising to me. I thought the fires only happened in California or whatnot,” said Hunter McGinn.
On the North Shore, fans lined up outside of State AE for the All Time Low concert. Most people were aware of the air quality alert, but didn’t seem too concerned, at least for now.
“There is a haze I’m not really worried about the air quality at this moment but god only knows what’s gonna happen,” said Sarah Marino.
The DEP is encouraging people to limit their time outdoors and to keep pets and other animals indoors as well.
My team and I have been monitoring this situation over the past 24 hours. Smoke is affecting the entire Commonwealth.
Children, older people, and people with asthma or a respiratory illness should avoid going outdoors today as much as possible, and we should all avoid strenuous… https://t.co/HsZriBxB4g— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) June 7, 2023
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