Air quality alerts are in effect on Tuesday in 10 states as toxic smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada continues to waft into the United States, creating hazy, gray skies over major metropolitan areas, including New York City.
At least 741 wildfires are burning in Canada, including 304 labeled out of control. The Canadian wildfires have burned more than 16 million acres this year -- more than double their 10-year average to date.
This is already the third most destructive year for wildfires in Canada since records began in 1983. This fire season now ranks second at this point, behind the 2023 Canada wildfire season, which sent plumes of smoke down to the United States and turned the skies over major cities, including New York, an eerie orange.
The intensifying Canadian smoke prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday to declare a "Code Orange Air Quality Action Day" in more than 40 counties, including the city of Philadelphia.
"On a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, 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 limit outdoor activities," the Pennsylvania EPA said.
A "code orange" advisory is just one level below a "code red" alert that signals unhealthy air for all individuals on the EPA's Air Quality Index Guide. The index guide also has a "code purple" level signaling "very unhealthy air" and a "code maroon" for hazardous air quality.
On Monday, the smoke from Canada prompted a ground stop at Boston's Logan International Airport due to "low visibility" and caused delays in airport operations that extended into the afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Air quality in Michigan, including the city of Detroit, remained unhealthy for sensitive groups on Tuesday.
Smoke from the Canadian fires are forecast to be medium to heavy through Wednesday from Duluth, Minnesota, to Buffalo, New York, and through New York's Hudson Valley.
Meanwhile, wildfires burning in U.S. Western states were prompting red flag fire danger warnings on Tuesday. Red flag warnings remain in place for parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming due to very dry conditions, low humidity and gusty winds that could rapidly spread new fires.
One of the biggest active wildfires is burning in Southern California's Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. As of Tuesday morning, the Gifford Fire, which started on Sunday, had burned more than 82,500 acres across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties and was just 7% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Wildfires burning in the West are creating smoky skies for millions from Southern California to Colorado.
The FAA announced that it was slowing flights into Denver International Airport due to smoke and low visibility. The Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas also had a brief slowdown in air traffic on Tuesday morning, but it has since been lifted.
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