Code red air quality alerts as Canada wildfire smoke spreads and millions under heat wave warnings - live
Smoke from more than 450 wildfires burning in Canada caused “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” air quality conditions in parts of the Midwestern United States this week as the South faces heat wave warnings.
The heavy smoke cast a greyish haze over Chicago on Tuesday, causing the city to have the worst air quality in the world. Public health officials recommended residents limit their time outside and take precautions before venturing out, including masking.
On Wednesday, Pennsylvania issued a “code red” for western parts of the state as the smoke began to move east.
Residents of New York City and other East Coast cities were warned of potentially worsening air quality conditions throughout the week.
Governor Kathy Hochul asked New Yorkers to check their air quality conditions before going outside. Mayor Eric Adams recommended people bring a mask with them as a precaution.
Canada is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons on record. More than 250 wildfires are considered “out of control” with more popping up each day, in part, due to dry heat conditions.
Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to approach or surpass 100 degrees from New Mexico to Mississippi.
Key Points
What is the air quality index (AQI)?
Map shows where air quality conditions are unhealthy
‘Code red’ declared in western Pennsylvania due to air quality
What started the Canadian wildfires?
Parts of the US facing intense heatwaves
In photos: Texans find ways to cool off
22:30 , Ariana Baio
New York City distributing masks
22:00 , Ariana Baio
In preparation for the smoky conditions expected to hit New York City after Wednesday, several city departments will be handing out masks.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority, Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation are distributing masks to commuters.
Air quality is forecasted to reach 'Unhealthy' Air Quality Index (AQI) levels on Wednesday in the Western New York region.
Air quality is forecasted to reach 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups' AQI levels on Wednesday in Central New York and Eastern Lake Ontario regions.— New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (@NYSDEC) June 27, 2023
Pittsburgh Pirates will still play despite air quality
21:30 , Ariana Baio
The Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Pittsburgh Pirates said they would still play the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night despite the AQI reaching an “unhealthy level.”
“We are currently planning to host tonight’s game as scheduled. We will continue to closely monitor the air quality index levels around the ballpark,” the Pittsburgh Pirates wrote in a statement.
The team said they were in contact with the MLB as well as a team of medical providers to seek advice regarding the AQI.
The city was hit with smoke on Wednesday from the wildfires in Canada causing hazy conditions and potentially hazardous breathing air.
Philadelphia declares ‘code red'
21:15 , Ariana Baio
As smoke from the wildfires in Canada begins to move east, cities along the East Coast are preparing for another poor air quality day.
Philadelphia declared Wednesday a “code red” day as the air quality hit “unhealthy” levels in the afternoon.
Philadelphia Public Health asked residents to take precautions like avoiding spending time outside, wearing a mask when outdoors, paying attention to any symptoms associated with difficult breathing and more.
Philadelphia is currently under a Code Red Fine Particles Action Day Alert. This means that the air is unhealthy to breathe. Air quality may vary throughout the city & throughout the day, with some areas having significantly worse quality depending on the prevailing winds. (1/7) pic.twitter.com/gNvNIHYNa9
— Philadelphia Public Health (@PHLPublicHealth) June 28, 2023
Where are wildfires burning in Canada right now?
21:00 , Ariana Baio
Air quality has plummeted again this week across large parts of the United States and Canada as hundreds of wildfires rage out of control north of the border.
There are 480 fires burning throughout the country, according to the Canadian Interagency Fire Center, with one new fire igniting on Wednesday.
Some 237 fires are burning out-of-control and impacting provinces and territories from coast to coast. The blazes are impacting 10 provinces, two territories and national parks.
Ariana Baio and Louise Boyle report:
Where are wildfires burning in Canada right now?
Climate protesters call on Biden to ‘declare a climate emergency’
20:24 , Ariana Baio
As President Joe Biden arrived at the JW Marriott in Chicago on Wednesday, protestors outside of the building called on the president to declare a climate emergency, according to a report from the White House reporting pool.
“As pool entered, we could hear chants and see signs of protesters demanding that Biden declare a climate emergency,” the report said.
Chicago experienced the worst air quality in the world on Tuesday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
As parts of the Midwest grappled with the air conditions, millions of Americans in the South are experiencing dangerous heat waves.
Cleveland cancels all events due to poor air quality
20:15 , Ariana Baio
The city of Cleveland cancelled all outdoor events on Wednesday due to the poor air quality caused by smoke from wildfires in Canada.
By 3pm EDT on Wednesday, the air quality index (AQI) had reached 245 which is considered “very unhealthy”.
Mayor Justin Bibb posted on Instagram telling locals to be careful when going outdoors.
“Especially those with heart and breathing issues,” Mr Bibb wrote.
Surface smoke from Canadian wildfires expected to move east
20:00 , Ariana Baio
A map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed the expected path of the surface smoke from the Canadian wildfires moving away from Chicago and the Midwest and toward Pennsylvania and New York.
Upper New York cities like Buffalo and Rochester may face poor air quality conditions in the coming days as the map shows the smoke moving east and north.
However, wind patterns can change the direction of the wildfire smoke.
Texas grid expects record power use as brutal heat continues
19:45 , Ariana Baio
The Texas grid operator was expecting to hit record electricity use on Wednesday as the state battles prolonged, brutal heat.
The heatwave is expected to persist across much of Texas along with eastern and southern parts of New Mexico possibly into next week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Houston, the state’s largest city, will reach 99 degrees Fahrenheit (F) on Wednesday – six degrees hotter than normal for this time of year, forecasters said.
In south and west Texas, temperatures soared into the triple digits. San Angelo hit an all-time high of 114F on Tuesday, NWS reported.
Louise Boyle reports:
Texas grid expects record power use as brutal heat continues
What is a heat dome? Scorching temperatures in Texas are expected to spread
19:30 , Ariana Baio
Scorching temperatures brought on by a “heat dome” have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state before they are expected to expand during the coming week, putting even more people at risk.
“Going forward, that heat is going to expand ... north to Kansas City and the entire state of Oklahoma, into the Mississippi Valley ... to the far western Florida Panhandle and parts of western Alabama,” while remaining over Texas, said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service.
Record high temperatures around 110° F (43° C) are forecast in parts of western Texas on Monday and relief is not expected before the Fourth of July holiday, Mr Oravec said.
A heat dome occurs when stationary high pressure with warm air combines with warmer than usual air in the Gulf of Mexico and heat from the sun that is nearly directly overhead, Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said.
“By the time we get into the middle of summer, it’s hard to get the hot air aloft,” Mr Nielsen-Gammon, a professor at Texas A&M’s College of Atmospheric Sciences said. “If it’s going to happen, this is the time of year it will.”
Joe Biden arrives in Chicago to smoky conditions
19:15 , Ariana Baio
President Joe Biden arrived at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday afternoon to hazy conditions due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
Photos of Mr Biden showed him departing from Air Force One with the blurry Chicago skyline in the background.
Mr Biden was speaking in Chicago about his economic plan.
Smoke expected to move south and east
19:00 , Ariana Baio
The smoke lingering over the Midwestern part of the US is expected to move south and east in the coming days.
Residents in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York have been warned of worsening air quality conditions.
Wildfire smoke continues to bring horrible air quality to the Midwest.
The smoke plume will continue to drift south and east. pic.twitter.com/WZaOhJHmMi— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) June 28, 2023
What is the heat index and why does it matter?
18:40 , Ariana Baio
The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings in parts of the Southern United States, claiming the heat index can reach past 110°F (46°C).
Though the actual temperature may be in the 90 - 100 degree range, the humidity of the air contributes to how hot it may feel to humans – this is known as the heat index.
“The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature,” the National Weather Service says.
Expect hot weather across Southeast Texas once again today. A Heat Advisory is in effect for expected heat index values greater than 108 degrees. Similar conditions are anticipated for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Stay safe out there! #txwx #houwx #glswx #bcswx pic.twitter.com/ZgWJsg8TTe
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) June 28, 2023
This is important because when the human body is hot it sweats as a way to cool off. But if it’s too humid for sweat to evaporate then the body cannot regulate temperature well.
The higher the index the more likely or experiencing a heat disorder like heat stroke.
Where are the wildfires burning in Canada?
18:20 , Ariana Baio
There are 480 wildfires currently burning in all 13 provinces and territories in Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Nearly half of the wildfires are considered “out of control”.
Most of the fires are in the provinces of Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.
What wildfire smoke does to your health – and what you can do about it
18:00 , Ariana Baio
Wildfire smoke darkened skies and made it difficult to breathe in at least 20 states across America and large parts of Canada last week.
And it’s far from over: Canadian officials warned that this could be the country’s worst wildfire season on record and smoke would be a problem “all summer”.
Louise Boyle reports:
What wildfire smoke does to your health – and what you can do about it
Parts of the US facing intense heatwaves
17:45 , Ariana Baio
In addition to the smoky conditions facing people living in the Midwest and Northeast, millions of Americans living in the South and Southwest are heat wave warnings.
Temperatures are expected to reach 100°F or slightly below in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee are under an excessive heat warning.
Dangerously hot conditions with a heat index up to 116°F are expected in some parts.
The National Weather Service (NWS) recommended people drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun and wear lightweight and loose clothing.
Other states, including, Florida, Missouri, Kansas and New Mexico, have heat advisories in place.
Excessive heat will build over much of Texas to the northern Gulf Coast and into the mid-Mississippi River Valley, and Southeast U.S. as well as the Central Valley of California into the weekend. Excessive Heat Watches and Warnings and Heat Advisories have been issued.… pic.twitter.com/zXprgRuwDF
— National Weather Service (@NWS) June 28, 2023
What is the air quality index (AQI)?
17:30 , Ariana Baio
The air quality index (AQI) was established by the Environmental Protection Agency as a way of measuring the density of pollutants in the air to determine how healthy or unhealthy the air quality is for people.
The AQI scale runs from 0 to 500 and uses colors to correspond to the range the air quality is in.
Air quality alerts are typically administered if the number reaches over 100 – which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Noel Gallagher forced to cancel US concert due to poor air quality from Canada wildfires
17:20 , Ariana Baio
Noel Gallagher has cancelled his Wisconsin concert due to the poor air quality brought on by the Canadian wildfires.
Originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening (28 June) at Breese Stevens Field, the 56-year-old British rocker’s High Flying Birds and Garage concert has been axed.
Concert promoter FPC Live shared the announcement across social media on Wednesday morning, noting the decision was “based on the Public Health Madison & Dane County’s Air Quality Advisory”.
“Refunds will be available at your point of purchase. Ticketholders will receive an email with refund information,” it stated.
Inga Parkel reports:
Noel Gallagher forced to cancel US concert due to poor air quality
Watch: Satellite footage shows wildfire smoke from Canada looming over Midwest
17:15 , Ariana Baio
Wildfire smoke casts haze over downtown Pittsburgh
17:00 , Ariana Baio
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is moving from the Midwest toward Pennsylvania, causing poor air quality conditions and hazy skies.
A photo, taken of the downtown Pittsburgh skyline shows the thick smoke overtaking the skyline.
What started the Canadian wildfires?
16:45 , Ariana Baio
Canada is dealing with a series of intense wildfires that have spread from the western provinces to Quebec, with hundreds of forest fires burning.
The smoke has traveled into the United States, resulting in a number of air quality alerts issued since May.
While Canada is no stranger to wildfires across its vast expanses of forest, tundra and grassland, the country is experiencing an increasingly extreme wildfire season between May and October due to the climate crisis.
Wildfires are just one in a series of interlinked maladies caused by the climate crisis. The rising global temperature, driven by emissions from burning fossil fuels, is making droughts more severe.
The provinces of Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan have experienced abnormal to severe drought conditions since April, according to the Canadian Drought Monitor.
The unusually dry conditions make vegetation, soil and trees more susceptible to burning which can escalate wildfires quickly.
Lightning strikes, people improperly disposing of flammable items like cigarettes or improper campfire extinguishing can cause quick and intense fires.
How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert
16:30 , Ariana Baio
Experts estimate that each hour of exposure to wildfire smoke is equivalent to smoking cigarettes continuously for the same amount of time, but that’s just for humans. Imagine how wildfire smoke affects our beloved pets?
In fact, poor air quality may pose an even greater risk to animals because of their much smaller size.
The biggest danger to pets comes from the fine particles found in air pollutants, which can get into the lungs and cause a variety of health issues – like eye irritation or respiratory problems. Some of the most vulnerable pets are older animals suffering from heart or lung disease.
Certain breeds, such as pugs and bulldogs, may be especially at risk of inhaling too much smoke, according to the American Kennel Club.
Meredith Clark reports:
How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert
How to stay safe from wildfire smoke
16:20 , Ariana Baio
More than 450 wildfires are currently burning in parts of Canada with over 250 considered “out of control.”
Parts of the United States, including New York City and Pennsylvania, have been warned that air quality conditions may worsen throughout the week as wind patterns move the heavy smoke east.
To stay safe from wildfire smoke, public health officials recommend staying indoors or limiting the amount of time spent outside.
If you do need to go out, wear a mask to protect your lungs from smoke. Health officials suggest N95 or KN95s.
Keep doors and windows shut and avoid turning on AC window units. When home try to use air purifiers.
Map shows where air quality conditions are unhealthy
16:10 , Ariana Baio
As of Wednesday morning, air quality conditions are worse in the upper midwest region of the United States, according to a map from Airnow.gov.
Purple dots, indicating that air quality is “very unhealthy”, were scattered throughout the northern midwest region.
Red dots showed “unhealthy” air quality whereas orange showed “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
Chicago air quality unhealthy as Canadian wildfire emissions reach record levels and send smoke to Europe
16:00 , Ariana Baio
The air quality in Chicago has reached unhealthy levels as the city is affected by the smoke coming from the wildfires in Canada, where record-beating emissions are leading to the smoke travelling all the way across the North Atlantic and reaching Europe.
The smoke is leading to hazy conditions in the Windy City on Tuesday, with the air quality now considered unhealthy for everyone, not just those with respiratory conditions.
Gustaf Kilander reports:
Chicago air quality unhealthy as Canadian wildfire emissions reach record levels
‘Code red’ declared in western Pennsylvania due to air quality
15:45 , Ariana Baio
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared a “code red” alert for western parts of the state due to the worsening air quality from the Canadian wildfire smoke.
Code red means the air quality index (AQI) has reached a level that could be unhealthy for the general public.
“Young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should avoid outdoor activities, and everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion,” the Department of Environmental Protection wrote.
DEP Declares Code Red and Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulate Matter for June 28, 2023 in Multiple Areas of Pennsylvania: https://t.co/okpRn8fmjt pic.twitter.com/0XkfYbt5bn
— PA Department of Environmental Protection (@PennsylvaniaDEP) June 27, 2023
Erie, Warren, McKean, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Elk, Lawrence, Butler, Clarion, Armstrong, Jefferson, Clearfield, Indiana, Cambria, Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Greene, Fayette and Somerset counties have the code red in effect
Meanwhile, eastern Pennsylvania is in a ‘code orange’.
Satellite imagery shows smoke arriving in Europe
15:30 , Ariana Baio
Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires has arrived in Portugal and Spain. pic.twitter.com/DlimVT4U59
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) June 26, 2023
Air Quality Index in major US Cities
15:16 , Ariana Baio
As smoke from the Canadian wildfires beings to move southern and easterly, here is the air quality index (AQI) in major cities as of Wednesday morning, according to AirNow.gov.
Chicago - 215, Very Unhealthy
Cincinnati - 199, Unhealthy
Columbus - 175, Unhealthy
Philadelphia - 77, Moderate
New York City - 56, Moderate
Washington DC - 77, Moderate
In photos: Smoke in Chicago
15:06 , Ariana Baio
New York City Health Department tells New Yorkers to ‘listen to your body’
14:50 , Ariana Baio
In a statement, the New York City Health Department warned residents of New York to be prepared for worsening air quality conditions throughout the week and not wait for an alert to take action.
“Poor air quality can affect people differently, so individuals must assess their own sensitivities and adjust to conditions at the time,” the Health Department wrote.
The agency told people to stay informed by checking AirNow.gov for current conditions and signing up for alerts using @NotifyNYC.
“While we currently project air quality index (AQI) to be in the moderate range (between 51 - 100) today, wind patterns can quickly change without notice.”
“New Yorkers should listen to their body. Reactions to poor air quality can include watery eyes, scratchy throat, headaches, or shortness of breath.”
Poor air quality is particularly dangerous to sensitive health groups like people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Bring a KN95 or N95 mask with you tomorrow, or make plans to avoid outdoor events just in case.— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 27, 2023
Air quality in Chicago ‘very unhealthy’
14:40 , Ariana Baio
The Air quality index (AQI) in Chicago was around 215 as of Wednesday morning according to AirNow.gov.
The AQI runs from 0 to 500. Anything above 100 is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups” meaning those with underlying conditions, children or older adults should take precautions.
Anything above 150 is “unhealthy” which can impact members of the general public.
At 215, Chicago’s air quality puts everyone at an increased health risk.
Public health officials recommended residents of Chicago and surrounding areas limit their time outside and wear a mask when going outdoors.
New York set to be hit with dire air quality again as Canadian wildfire smoke rages on
14:37 , Ariana Baio
The air quality in New York is set to “deteriorate very quickly” over the next 48 hours as smoke from the Canadian wildfires shifts over the state.
NY Governor Kathy Hochul warned residents that air quality could reach “unhealthy” levels in some parts of the state on Wednesday.
Gov. Hochul advised high-risk groups – children, senior citizens, pregnant women, elderly persons, or people with respiratory disorders – to remain indoors as the smoke descends on New York.
“We’re also giving alerts to people about outdoor workers, making sure supervisors know it is not recommended unless people are wearing masks,” she said.
Maanya Sachdeva reports:
Canada wildfires set to cause ‘unhealthy’ air quality levels in New York again