New Yorkers Told to Wear a Mask or Stay Indoors Until Smoke Clears

Wear a mask or stay indoors. That's the recommendation for New Yorkers until the unhealthy smoke-filled air from the Canadian wildfires goes away.

One million N95 masks are being made available as smoke and haze continue to impact air quality throughout the state.

Masks will be made available at the following locations:

Grand Central Terminal
Penn Station
Fulton Center
Jamaica Station
Main Concourse of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, South Wing
Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, Harlem
Roberto Clemente State Park, Bronx

Read More: Chris Stapleton Concert Postponed in Syracuse

Stay Indoors if Possible

Governor Kathy Hochul is encouraging everyone in impacted regions across the state to stay indoors and reduce exposure to the harmful smoke until air quality improves.

If you can stay indoors, stay indoors. This is detrimental to people's health. In New York State, we have over 1.4 million people who already have asthma. And when the air quality is bad, it's a significant risk for these individuals as well as seniors, and children.

New York City and Syracuse were among the worst places on the entire planet on Wednesday, June 7. Normally the air quality index is around 50. The index rose to 400 in parts of the state. That's an 800 percent increase.

This is what the New York City sky looked like on Tuesday, June 6.

This is just 24 hours later. What a difference a day makes.

Reduce Exposure

• Limit time outdoors to reduce exposure to smoke
• Keep windows of homes and buildings closed
• Avoid strenuous activities
• Outdoor activity across all groups should be limited or minimized when possible, as those with asthma, allergies or other conditions may be affected.
• Avoid prolonged exposure
• Individuals with health vulnerabilities, such as cardiovascular or lung disease, as should those who are pregnant
• For those who must travel outdoors for significant periods, properly fitted, high-quality masks help reduce exposure.

Read More: 6 Forest Fires in New York as Canadian Wildfire Spreads

Prepare for Long Haul

The unhealthy air conditions are expected to continue for the next several days. "So people need to prepare for this over the long haul," Governor Hochul said.

5 of the 8 regions in New York have an unhealthy air quality index. You can see the latest updates at DEC.ny.gov.