Canadian Wildfire Smoke Blankets Long Island, State Issues Unhealthy Air Warning

A combination of smoke pouring south from Canadian wildfires and a regional heat wave drove Long Island's air quality into the "Unhealthy" range Thursday, leading state and county officials to call on residents to stay inside and cut back on time spent outdoors.

Gov. Kathy Hochul extended a statewide Air Quality Health Advisory — originally put in place Wednesday for particulate matter — through Thursday, July 16. The state Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health projected that Long Island, the New York City Metro area, the Lower Hudson Valley and several additional regions would hit the "Unhealthy" classification. Officials cautioned that brief spikes could push readings even higher, into the "Very Unhealthy" category.

Suffolk County used its SuffolkAlert emergency notification system to inform residents about the advisory Wednesday afternoon, officials said. A forecasted high of 91 degrees Thursday heightened worries for anyone planning extended time outside, local weather reports indicated.

Elevated temperatures and intermittent wildfire smoke were expected to linger through at least Thursday night, according to local meteorological reports.

Acting on Hochul's orders, more than 100,000 high-quality N95-style masks were made available to counties throughout New York. In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority planned to hand out masks to riders at Penn Station and Grand Central.

Health officials urged New Yorkers — especially those with asthma, heart or lung disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and those who work outside — to shorten or eliminate outdoor activity. Anyone required to be outside was advised to wear a properly fitted mask and take frequent rest breaks. Remaining indoors in a smoke-free, air-conditioned space was recommended as the safest course of action.

Residents can receive real-time weather and emergency alerts by texting their county name to 333111, Hochul's office said. Current Air Quality Index data is available at airnow.gov.