Buffalo’s air is ‘unhealthy’ as smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets WNY

Thick, gray haze hung over Western New York Wednesday morning as winds from the northwest pushed smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires back into the region.

There’s an air quality alert in effect for all of Western New York and the rest of the state as well.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index app showed Buffalo’s air at the “unhealthy” level.

At that level, people who have heart and lung disease, older people, children and teens are urged to reduce strenuous outdoor activities and to keep any outdoor activities short.

The smoky conditions should lift in Western New York overnight as winds from the south and southwest pick up.

Gov. Kathy Hochul urged New Yorkers to keep an eye on the air conditions, especially if they are vulnerable to fine particles in the air.

“Smoke from Canadian wildfires is forecasted to significantly impact air quality across New York into [Wednesday] and Thursday,” Hochul said Tuesday. “We continue to closely monitor conditions and will be distributing masks in regions impacted by the smoke. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay up to date on the latest information and take appropriate steps to protect their health.”

She said that in the event the air quality worsens to the “very unhealthy” or “hazardous” levels, the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services would alert impacted communities using the Wireless Emergency Alert System.

Smoke from the wildfires has impacted a huge swath of the United States, from the Midwest to the East Coast.