Wildfire smoke descending from Canada is sweeping across the northern U.S., including New Jersey, creating unhealthy and even hazardous air quality.
On the Air Quality Index that tops out at 500, Newark, New Jersey, was “hazardous” or a code maroon Wednesday afternoon, with 318 ppm – the worst in the state. Conditions continued to worsen throughout the day, with more areas reaching the most critical level on the AQI scale or remaining “unhealthy” with levels above 200 ppm.
Most of New Jersey was under “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” conditions as of Wednesday afternoon, according to airnow.gov.
Below are the cities currently experiencing the worst levels of air quality due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced all state offices closed at 3:30 p.m. due to worsening conditions in the Garden State.
Public health officials asked residents to stay indoors and, if they must be outdoors, to wear an N-95 mask.
WHAT IS THE AIR QUALITY INDEX?
An orange and reddish glow is visible around much of the Tri-State area, including throughout New Jersey. In New York City, the skyline was shrouded in smoke.
In South Plainfield, New Jersey, the smoke-filled sky was reflected in the water at Spring Lake Park.
The haze blanketed the Newark Liberty International Airport and New Jersey Turnpike on Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay for New York area airports because of the smoke conditions in the region creating low visibility.
Conditions worsened as the day went on Wednesday.
WHAT TO DO WHEN WILDFIRE SMOKE SMOTHERS YOUR AREA AND HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME’S AIR CLEAN
In the late afternoon, the smoke was building in Brick, New Jersey, nearly covering the sun.
As the wildfires continue to burn, the unhealthy air quality conditions are forecast to remain for at least a few more days as the slow-moving low-pressure system centered over the coastal region of New England is helping to bring in a northerly flow.