Hazy skies and low air quality returned to the five boroughs Monday, as smoke from Canadian wildfires again created a gray scene in the New York skies.
All of New York State and almost all of New England was under an air quality alert from the National Weather Service on Monday afternoon. The warning for New York City extended until midnight.
“Air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including older adults, children and people with heart or lung conditions,” the city’s emergency department wrote on social media. “You may notice a faint smell of smoke, and low visibility conditions.”
It has become a depressingly familiar story for New Yorkers in recent years. Smoke from uncontrolled wildfires in Canada, most of them in Manitoba Province, has been carried south and east by common wind patterns.
The worst air quality in recent years occurred in June 2023, when the smoke became so thick it created an orange haze over the city. However, the subpar air quality has returned to the city in each of the past two summers as well, including multiple times this year.
“Limit outdoor activity, close windows, use air purifiers if available, and consider wearing a high-quality mask if you must go outside and are in a sensitive group,” NYC Emergency Management warned.
New York was hardly alone in dealing with poor air quality Monday. All of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware, along with most of Vermont, were also under air quality alerts.
Originally Published: August 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM EDT
