NYC warns of potential air quality issues amid extreme heat
The city warns New Yorkers could face two environmental health challenges, extreme heat and potential wildfire smoke as soon as Wednesday.
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As New Yorkers continue to battle extreme heat conditions, New York City officials warn air quality could be impacted by the potential wildfire smoke.
The New York City Emergency Management and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued an advisory on Tuesday alerting New Yorkers to the possibility of deteriorating air quality from significant, still-spreading wildfires in western Ontario, Canada.
“Every New Yorker has a different risk profile, and this week you need to know yours. If you're sensitive to air quality, don't remain in a space without air conditioning or filtration. And if you're in a population vulnerable to heat, older adults, young children, people with chronic conditions, take the heat seriously too. In both cases, you should get to a cool indoor space, and if you don't have one at home, a cooling center is open near you,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell.
The city says free KN95 masks will be given out at NYC Public Libraries throughout the five boroughs. They also advise limiting activities that could impact indoor air like smoking or vaping, burning candles or incense, and high-heat frying or broiling.
Despite the air quality concerns, the city says heat safety comes first. Similar resources that were rolled out during the last heat wave are in effect, including hundreds of cooling centers and 21 COOL vans across the five boroughs.
