Sunshine Gives Way to Haze from Canadian Wildfires

What would have been a partly sunny 85-degree day over Upstate New York turned into a yellowed, hazy overcast glow on Monday in parts of Upstate New York as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted across the region.

Many, who thought they could smell the smoke, were left with no doubt on Monday as the smell of smoke spread throughout parts of the region. The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality alert again on Tuesday and this time recommended even people with healthy lungs stay inside and avoid breathing the polluted air.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at Albany has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Fine Particulates.. Air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an air quality index value of 115 for fine particulates. The air quality index or AQI, was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician. NYSDEC, Weather.com

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Poor air quality is expected to linger for several days as fires continue to burn in western Canada.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the counties in each of their Air Quality Health Advisory regions are:

• Long Island - Nassau and Suffolk
• NYC Metro - New York City, Rockland, and Westchester
• Lower Hudson Valley - Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, and Sullivan
• Upper Hudson Valley - Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington
• Adirondacks - Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, northern Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, and Warren
• Eastern Lake Ontario - northern Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Oswego, and Wayne
• Central New York - Allegany, Broome, southern Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, southern Herkimer, Livingston, Madison, Onondaga, Oneida, Ontario, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, and Yates
• Western New York - Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming

The NYSDEC is maintaining an interactive website that displays fire and smoke locations around the country.

Fine Particulate Matter

Fine particulate matter (PM) consists of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM 2.5 can be made of many different types of particles and often come from processes that involve combustion (e.g., vehicle exhaust, power plants, and fires) and from chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

The DEC says the small particle pollutants can cause short term health effects and residents should limit their activity outdoors during the alert.

"Exposure can cause short-term health effects, such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. People with heart or breathing problems, and children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM 2.5."