NEW YORK CITY — New York City’s unhealthy air quality remains a public health crisis as wildfire smoke continues to drift from Canada, said Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul urged New Yorkers to stay indoors, wear high-quality masks and prepare for smoke to linger Thursday.
She said the air quality level stood at 209 in Brooklyn, 207 in Queens and 191 in The Bronx.
Find out what's happening in New York Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Those levels are below the record 400-plus levels seen Wednesday, but are still unhealthy, Hochul said.
“The message is this is not over,” she said. “We might get a little respite, but I don’t want people to let down their guard and to become complacent about this because we have to be prepared for the winds to shift.”
Find out what's happening in New York Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The wildfire smoke from Canada didn’t bring back orange skies Thursday, but still prompted waves of cancelations.
Aviation officials issued a ground stop at LaGuardia Airport for the second time in as many days. Likewise, city officials announced that in-person schooling and alternate side parking would both be suspended Friday.
Hochul said the Belmont Stakes, scheduled for Saturday just outside New York City’s limits, would be canceled if the air quality index reaches an unacceptable 200. Such a decision likely would be last-minute, as it depends on conditions, she said.
Mayor Eric Adams said city officials have not reached the point of mandating closures for events. For now, those decisions will be made by organizers, he said.
Click Here: Argentina soccer tracksuit
“We’re giving very clear, sound recommendations,” he said.
A plume of wildfire smoke from Nova Scotia and Quebec drifted toward New York Thursday, Hochul said.
She said predicted rain Thursday and Friday could help dissipate the smoke, but that reprieve could be temporary, especially with wildfires still raging in Canada.
The state is sending firefighters to Canada to help with efforts to contain the wildfires, Hochul said.
New Yorkers should wear N95 or K95 masks as long as the air quality remains poor, she said. They should also wear them indoors in places with bad air circulation, or simply if the air irritates their breathing, she said.
Masks are being distributed at Javits Center, MTA stations, bus terminals and state parks, Hochul said.
People can track air quality by using their smartphone’s weather app, Hochul said.
A safe level is any air quality index below 50.
New York City’s air quality ranked as the worst in the world for major cities Wednesday and Thursday, according to IQAir, a monitoring site.
Its air quality hasn’t reached this poor level since the 1960s, officials said.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.