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If the skyline looked a little washed out on your morning commute—or you caught the unmistakable smell of a campfire last night while walking to the subway—you're not imagining things. The smoky haze hanging over New York City is the result of wildfire smoke drifting hundreds of miles south from Canada, where more than 800 active wildfires continue to burn.
The smoke has prompted New York State to issue an Air Quality Health Advisory covering New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and much of the rest of the state. On Wednesday, air quality in parts of the city climbed into the "Unhealthy" range on the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI), meaning even healthy people could begin experiencing symptoms if they're outside for extended periods. The smoke is expected to linger today as weather conditions continue to send the polluted air into the Northeast.
This isn't quite a repeat of the surreal orange skies that blanketed New York during the historic Canadian wildfire smoke event in June 2023, but officials say it's still serious enough to warrant precautions, especially because it's arrived alongside another sweltering summer heat wave.
If you’re wondering why smoke from fires so far away is ending up over Manhattan, blame the weather. The sprawling heat dome that’s parked over much of the eastern United States and Canada is trapping hot air near the surface while steering smoke from wildfires in central Canada and the Great Lakes region into the Northeast. Rather than dispersing high in the atmosphere, much of that smoke is remaining closer to ground level, where it affects the air we breathe and gives the city its hazy appearance.
The biggest health concern isn't actually the smell—it's the microscopic particles known as PM2.5 suspended in the smoke. These tiny particles are small enough to travel deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Exposure can trigger coughing, irritated eyes, shortness of breath and headaches, while increasing risks for people with asthma, heart disease, COPD and other respiratory conditions.
City and state officials encourage New Yorkers to take it easy outdoors until conditions improve. That means limiting strenuous exercise outside, keeping windows closed if possible, running air conditioning or an air purifier and wearing a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask if you need to spend extended time outdoors. The city has also been distributing free KN95 masks as smoke levels fluctuate.
The combination of wildfire smoke and near-100-degree temperatures has made for an especially unpleasant stretch of July weather. Ironically, forecasters say thicker smoke can sometimes shave a few degrees off daytime highs by filtering sunlight—but that's hardly a silver lining when the trade-off is dirtier air.
Air quality can change quickly as winds shift, so conditions may improve (or worsen) throughout the day. If you have outdoor plans, it's worth checking the latest AQI before heading out. And if the skyline suddenly looks like it's hiding behind a frosted window, now you know why.