NYC Sees World's Worst Air Quality as Canada Wildfire Smoke Drifts Across Northeastern US
Summary from the AllSides News Team
New York City, Toronto and Detroit had some of the worst air quality worldwide on Tuesday and Wednesday as smoke from Canadian wildfires mixed with other forms of air pollution.
Key Details: The most recent wildfires were near Quebec. According to IQAir, New York City had the world's worst air quality on Wednesday afternoon, with an air quality index (AQI) of 248; the second-worst was Lahore, Pakistan, with an AQI of 174. NYC also ranked #1 for much of Tuesday night, before being temporarily overtaken by Delhi, India.
Key Quote: “We urge everyone to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors,” the New York City Department of Education tweeted Wednesday morning.
For Context: According to the National Interagency Fire Center, at least 236 wildfires were actively burning in the U.S. on Monday, including eight large, uncontained fires.
How the Media Covered it: Sources across the political spectrum covered the air quality warnings, with many noting that the conditions are not likely to persist for long at this critical level. The homepage of The New York Times (Lean Left bias) featured a bright orange sky; the New York Post (Lean Right bias) ran homepage taglines like "DARK CITY" and "ORANGE HAZE."
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