From Toronto, Ontario, to New York City, these are some of the most haunting images of the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
Millions of residents on the eastern coast of the U.S. and beyond have been burdened by billows of smoke from Canada’s wildfires, enacting an environmental health crisis across the country.
Air quality warnings have been issued in states as far south as North Carolina and as far west as Ohio, where alerts are extended through Friday. Densely-populated metros like New York City have endured the brunt of the smoke, as the city recorded some the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday, reaching hazardous levels.
Images of an orange haze engulfing the city have been widely shared as the city’s skyscrapers and skyline became narrowly visible, prompting many to cancel events as local officials asked people to remain indoors or wear N95 masks if they go outside. The haze was so thick that flights at LaGuardia and Newark airports were temporarily grounded. Still, many residents continued their regular routine, heading to work, or even purchasing food from a vendor cart outside.
Hundreds of fires still remain “out of control,” per Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair—some 9 million acres of land have been burnt over the past few days. And as climate change continues to escalate, as evidenced by these concerning photos, wildfire pollution may become more common in the region.
From Toronto, Ontario, to Washington, D.C., here’s a roundup of some of the most haunting images of the smoke from the wildfires:
