How to protect your health as wildfire smoke engulfs the city (2023)

New Yorkers again woke up to a smoke-filled city as pollutants from Canadian wildfires blanket the five boroughs with an eerie haze.

New York City continues to claim the worst air quality of any city in the world. By Wednesday afternoon, conditions had reached 484 on the Air Quality Index, Mayor Eric Adams said—a level considered “hazardous” for everyone by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the city's highest level recorded since the EPA began using the measurement in the 1960s.

That led New Yorkers to scrap outdoor plans, rummage for face masks and stand on street corners shooting photos showing of the cloaked skyline.

Can I call out of work if I’m at risk?

Yes. Adams pointed out that workers are entitled under New York’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law to stay home to care for themselves or others. Non-essential city employees were allowed to work from home Thursday due to the smoke.

Workers—or employers—can call 311 for more information about what the law entails.

Are New York City schools open?

Public schools remained open Wednesday. They were already set already set to be closed Thursday as teachers and school staff attend professional development training. The city shifted that training to be entirely remote due to the smoke, and Schools Chancellor David Banks left open the possibility that school could be canceled Friday.

Is it safe for dogs to go outside?

Many New Yorkers with pets have been left wondering how to protect their dogs and cats from the unhealthy air. Ashwin Vasan, the city’s Health Commissioner, said yesterday that dog owners should keep their walks as short as possible, while all other animals should stay indoors. “This is a hazard for all living creatures,” Vasan said.

When will the smoke clear in New York City?

Likely not before Friday, said John Homenuk, a meteorologist who runs the popular New York Metro Weather Twitter account. By Thursday at 5 a.m., Homenuksaid on Twitterhe expects the smoke to ease slightly today but to continue clogging the skies, with isolated showers in the forecast. As he put it: “The vibes are not ideal.”

The air quality advisory issued by the state on Tuesday has been extended through at least Thursday. Zach Iscol, the city’s Emergency Management commissioner, said earlier today that it would likely remain in place for several days.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the state will make one million N95 masks available to New Yorkers starting Thursday morning. Some 400,000 of the masks will be distributed at stations across the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s networks, at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and the Javits Center. In the subway, New Yorkers can snag an N95 mask at Grand Central, Fulton Street, Penn Station and at Jamaica Center. Another 600,000 masks will be available for local governments to pick up from the state, as well as at fire stations.

What are the health risks of poor air quality?

Even short-term exposure to high levels of pollution can cause health complications, such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose, irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as shortness of breath, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s health advisory.

That being said, for healthy New Yorkers the current air pollution levels are more of an annoyance than a risk, said Dr. Darby Jack, associate professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University Medical Center.

“It’s an annoyance and something to pay attention to, and if it starts happening for weeks every year then maybe the story changes,” Jack said.

New Yorkers can protect their health by staying indoors, and can take additional measures to preserve indoor air quality by using a HEPA filter. Jack also said that people should limit their outdoor exercise, as heavy breathing increases how much fine particulate matter they inhale.

People who have existing medical conditions, including lung or heart diseases, are at risk of more serious health impacts from breathing in fine particulate matter. Prolonged exposure to high levels of poor air quality puts people with chronic illness at risk of complications such as asthma flare-ups or heart attacks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Individuals with chronic illnesses should wear a well-fitting mask and take a couple of days off from exercising both indoors and outdoors until the air clears, Jack said.

At a press conference Wednesday, city Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said there has not yet been a notable uptick in hospital admissions due to air quality complications. He added the situation can change and the city is closely monitoring data from area facilities.

How can I protect myself from the smoke?

Mayor Eric Adams said all New Yorkers should limit their outdoor activity and stay inside as much as possible, citing guidance from the EPA.

Children and older adults should take extra care to stay indoors, and people with heart or breathing problems should wear a high-quality mask when outdoors—such as an N95 or KN95, Adams said.

“This is an unprecedented event in our city and New Yorkers must take caution,” Adams said in this morning’s news conference.

The EPA also suggests running an air conditioner and a purifier, if you have one. Keep windows closed and don’t add to the pollution by lighting candles or using aerosol sprays.

Those recommendations could change “based on updated air quality conditions that come in,” Adams said Tuesday evening.

The state also created a toll-free hotline that New Yorkers can call to stay informed about the smoke: 1-800-535-1345.

Does the poor air quality strengthen the case for climate measures like Local Law 97 and congestion pricing?

Without a doubt. Research has shown human-driven climate change has exacerbated the conditions that spark wildfires and allow them to burn more frequently and with greater intensity.

The smog that New York City and the region is experiencing this week is a taste of conditions to come if aggressive actions are not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the rate of climate change.

Two key ways to do that is to target the city’s top emitters of greenhouse gas emissions: buildings and transportation. Local Law 97 aims to shrink the carbon footprints of the city’s largest buildings, while congestion pricing aims to reduce traffic and get people out of cars and onto mass transit.

Should New Yorkers be prepared for more smoke hazards in the future?

Probably. Anecdotally, Homenuk noted that the city appears to have suffered an increase of wildfire smoke events in recent years, and a warming climate will only drive more extreme weather events.

“I do think that these kinds of events are likely going to become more common moving forward, and something that we’ll have to learn to deal with,” he said.

Federal forecasts also indicate that these types of events are only going to become more common. Droughts are lasting longer, forest fires are burning hotter and peak temperatures are rising.

Last summer alone the city experienced 25 days at or above 90 degrees—more than during any summer over the last six years. New Yorkers should be prepared that these conditions are not going away any time soon and should plan accordingly.

What else have New York public officials said about the wildfire smoke?

Adams said little until 11:31 p.m. Tuesday, which did not go unnoticed. The mayor defended his response during this morning's news conference, saying there is “no blueprint or playbook for these type of issues.”

Lincoln Restler, a progressive City Council member from Brooklyn, took the mayor to task on Twitter for not taking more immediate action, saying this morning's “hastily arranged press conference” was not enough.

Restler called on the city to dispatch air purifiers to schools, libraries and public housing developmenets; instruct people to work from home; and limit outdoor work for city employees.

“It's the government's job to lead in a crisis; the public should not be asked to come up with their own solutions,” Restler wrote.

At least one segment of the city's workforce is taking it easy today: the city's Health Department is suspending work for carriage horses and all other "working horses," an agency spokesperson confirmed.

“The Health Department is monitoring the situation and will notify the carriage horse industry on when work can continue,” said Pedro Frisneda, a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spokesperson.

Basil Seggos, head of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, first issued the Air Quality Health advisory on Tuesday and has been posting regular updates on Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that the situation shows “how unprepared we are for the climate crisis,” repeating her call for a “Green New Deal.”

Other city leaders were out of town when the skies first turned hazy—City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and her leadership team were in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, meeting with federal officials with federal officials to request aid for asylum-seekers and investments in housing, among other issues.

This story will be updated over the course of the day.