A thick smoke hangs over New York. Public life is therefore restricted. The reason is forest fires in Canada.
New York - A woman strolls along the waterfront in Jersey City, New Jersey. Behind her stretches the sea, but thick smoke is in the air. Instead of the usual New York City skyline, the city is covered in brown, impenetrable smog on Wednesday. Only the outlines of the buildings and skyscrapers are still recognizable. To protect herself from the bad air, the woman wears a medical mask.
Air quality 'extremely unhealthy': people should keep outdoor activities to a minimum
For almost two days now, images have been piling up in New York City that at first glance are more reminiscent of apocalyptic scenes. The reason for this state of affairs is the forest fires in Canada. The smoke has been moving south for days, enveloping the metropolis in dense smog.
A woman walks on the promenade of New Jersey. In the background, there is thick smoke over New York. © IMAGO/Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com
Already on Tuesday, the air quality in New York was classified as "unhealthy" by the Swiss air quality technology company "IQAir", and since Wednesday even as "extremely unhealthy". The company recommends wearing a protective mask to protect yourself from the smoke. The official U.S. database for air quality measurement "AirNow" also advises to keep outdoor activities to a minimum and instead carry them out indoors.
Smoke over New York: Population should do without their own cars
"The government of New York says that the smoke from the wildfires in Canada, in which firefighters from all over the world are helping, is currently affecting air quality in New York City." A health advisory asks residents to take measures to save energy and reduce air pollution. This includes, among other things, the request to use public transport instead of one's own car and to refrain from burning private fires in the garden or other places.
U.S. media report on region with worst air pollution in the world
According to CNN, the noxious smoke that has moved south to New York from over a hundred wildfires in Quebec has serious repercussions, and not just because of the destruction. The U.S. broadcaster reports that New York was at times one of the regions with the worst air pollution in the world on Tuesday. In particular, human-induced climate change is helping to exacerbate the arid conditions that favor wildfires.
Scientists recently reported that millions of acres of burned land in the western U.S. and Canada are due to carbon pollution from the world's largest fossil fuel and cement companies. Just recently, a climate researcher at Lanz warned of an "apocalypse" due to climate change.
0
Also Read
Dolomite peak plunges into the valley - rockfall changes mountain silhouette in Italy forever
READ
German travels to Thailand and breaks his neck - return flight should cost him 150,000 euros
READ
Storms: Historic flash floods on holiday island – video shows force of nature
READ
Urgent Rewe recall: Metal parts can lead to internal injuries
READ
Fire in Tyrolean railway tunnel: 151 train passengers evacuated, 33 injured
READ
Fancy a voyage of discovery?
My Area
"Can feel increasingly poor air quality": Wildfires in Canada move south
On Wednesday (local time), US politician and UN Secretary-General António Guterres commented on the subject on Twitter. He wrote: "At our UN headquarters in New York, we can feel the increasingly poor air quality as the smoke from the wildfires in Canada moves south. With global temperatures rising, there is an urgent need to reduce the risk of wildfires."
The Washington Post calls the nationwide increase in wildfires one of the "most predictable effects of global warming." Already in May, there were hundreds of forest fires in Canada. People now have to learn to deal with such situations and become more dependent on masks and air filters. "This will likely be one of many adjustments Americans will have to make in the face of advancing climate change. In a way, the haze could make everyone see more clearly what lies ahead."
This article, written by the editors, used machine support. The article has been carefully reviewed by editor Bjarne Kommnick before publication.