At the beginning of June, wildfires spread throughout Canada, specifically Quebec and Ontario. However, instead of staying within Canada, the winds brought the smoke south to the United States, plaguing northeastern states like New Jersey.
Many masks from the Covid-19 pandemic made a comeback. People with heart or lung issues had to take extra precautions as the air quality worsened and the sky became an unnatural yellow color.
Rising sophomore Eva Friedman recalled how it felt and what she saw when she looked out the windows at Pascack Hills on one of the worst air quality days.
“It looks yellow, no clouds, just smoke, and I am getting worried. It feels like the apocalypse,” she said.
On June 7, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached over 400 in some parts of New Jersey, and anything higher than 300 is considered hazardous. People in areas with a high AQI were instructed to stay inside until the air quality improved.
However, it became clear that an inconvenience and danger as substantial as “deathly air” was not expected, nor appreciated.
Rising juniors Gail Gluck and Aliana Kovalyov expressed how the smoke engulfing their town affected them and their summer plans.
“It’s almost summer. I wanted to go to the beach, but now we can’t,” said Kovalyov.
Gluck added, “Going outside is giving me a headache, and I cannot work as a lifeguard because the pool is closed.”
Although the hazardous air quality eventually passed, its effect on people who lived through it and future weather concerns did not waiver.
Sure enough, as of Aug. 8, over 1150 fires actively burn in Canada, and although the effect on New Jersey has not been as obvious as it was in the yellow-tinted and bonfire-smelling June, many states are still receiving air quality alerts.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has warned residents to be aware of potential air quality issues that may arise in the coming weeks. However, for many New Jersians and New Yorkers, air quality has been low on the list of concerns due to the humidity and thunderstorms engulfing the tri-state area for nearly all of the summer.
AccuWeather meteorologists have noted that the East Coast has reached a damp and overall gloomy weather slump, which is not ideal considering people’s eagerness for perfect summer weather after being subjected to poor air quality.
The upcoming weather pattern for July in the northeast predicts frequent storms. AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore delved into the specifics of upcoming weather concerns.
“Over the last few months, the Northeast and Great Lakes weather has taken dramatic turns, from warm and wet to dry and smoky. As we head into the first weekend of astronomical summer, the pattern will flip to humid and active weather with showers and occasional thunderstorms. This pattern looks like it lasts well into [this] week,” he said.
With every action comes a reaction, and the Canada wildfires did not end with an apocalyptic-esque couple of days; instead, they forewarned the weather that would proceed after the air quality affected the climate.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/06/06/northeast-wildfire-smoke-canada-pollution/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/us/wildfire-smoke-canada-ny-air-quality.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/29/us/canada-wildfire-smoke-great-lakes-thursday/index.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/27/us/canada-wildfire-smoke-great-lakes/index.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canadian-wildfires-under-control-what-to-know/
