ALBANY — After four days of impacts from Canadian wildfire smoke, air quality levels across New York were improving Sunday morning, according to state Department of Environmental Conservation readings.
At 8:30 a.m. every region in the state was reporting an Air Quality Index level of “moderate” or “good” with Air Quality Index readings ranging from the mid 50s to around 100 across the entirety of upstate New York. The exact reporting levels varied between state and federal data trackers.
The Air Quality Index, which runs from 0 to 500, depicts the level of air pollution. The higher the number, the greater concern for people’s health. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy for certain sensitive groups of people. Parts of the Capital Region Saturday were in the “unhealthy for all” category, with readings just above 150.
This comes after four days of statewide air quality health advisories issued by the DEC and Department of Health. The most recent air quality advisory ended at midnight Sunday. Gov. Kathy Hochul has previously warned that diminished air quality from Canadian wildfires constituted “a new normal” for New Yorkers.
In the Capital Region, weather conditions are helping improve the air quality outlook. National Weather Service metrologist Abbey Gant said a change in the wind direction and a low pressure system have helped move the smokey air out of the area. “Due to having a lot of rain right now, that is acting to dissipate a lot of those particulates,” Gant said.
Fires continue to burn in Canada, with Montreal deciding to cancel their Canada Day fireworks Saturday.
For the latest information across the state, check out the Times Union’s online air quality map.
You also can check your location’s current air quality through the federal government tracker, airnow.gov.
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply