Updated- 4 p.m.: Wildfires in Canada are causing smoky conditions in New York State, prompting air quality alerts for fine particulates in all regions across the state Wednesday through Thursday night.
An air quality health advisory is in effect for Long Island through midnight tonight due to elevated levels of fine particulate pollution, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“New York State updated an Air Quality Health Advisory for fine particulate matter for today, July 15, 2026, to include all regions of New York State due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada,” according to a press release issued by the governor’s office Wednesday.
“While the western regions are expected to see the greatest impact, there will likely be spikes of poor air quality throughout the state. There is the potential for visible smoke and hazy skies across the state and New Yorkers may see temporary spikes in smoke-related pollution.”
Air quality levels in outdoor air are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index value of 100 for fine particulates, the DEC said. The AQI is a scale used to communicate how polluted the air is and the level of potential health concern. An AQI over 100 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The AQI is 125 for fine particulates across the Long Island and New York City regions Wednesday, due to wildfires in Canada. The AQI forecast for Long Island Thursday is 195 and for NYC, 200. An AQI over 150 is considered unhealthy for all population groups.
While there may be some improvement late tonight into early Thursday, the weather service said another concentrated plume is forecast to spread back over the area later Thursday and Thursday night, with the potential for widespread reduced visibility.
State health officials recommend limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when pollution levels are elevated, especially for people who may be more sensitive to the effects of poor air quality, including young children and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Anyone experiencing symptoms should consider consulting a physician.
For more information, visit https://on.ny.gov/nyaqi or call the state air quality hotline at 1-800-535-1345.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
