New York blanketed by red haze due to smoke from Canadian wildfires
7 June 2023, 14:52
People in New York have been warned to limit outdoor activity as the city is covered in a red haze due to smoke from Canadian wildfires drifting across the northeastern US.
Air quality in the state is now "unhealthy", according to the Environment Protection Agency, and landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and Times Square has been blanketed by a murky haze.
Unusually early and intense wildfires in Canada's Quebec province are to blame. More than 150 forest fires were burning on Tuesday and more than 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate.
US authorities said residents with heart or lung disease, older people and children should keep outdoor activities short, and that others should reduce the amount they're active or exercising.
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In Toronto, Canadian authorities warned residents about the air quality and tourists at the CN Tower were met with a murky orange vista rather than clear early-summer skies.
Wildfires are common in Canada's west, but this year the east has seen significant fires - and more than 110 are said to be out of control.
Some 3.3 million hectares have already burned - about 13 times the 10-year average - and more than 120,000 people have been forced to leave home.
Chibougamau, a remote Quebec town of about 7,500, was the latest to be evacuated late on Tuesday.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault said: "We're following all of this from hour to hour, obviously.
"If we look at the situation in Quebec as a whole, there are several places where it is still worrying."
The US, Mexico, France and South Africa are among those who have sent firefighters to help - but no rain is immediately forecast meaning the fires are likely to be tougher to extinguish.
