New York is on alert as smoke from the American West hits the city

New York and several regions of the eastern United States and Canada, Tuesday, July 20, covered a gray veil with the taste of smoke from the fires in the west of these same countries. New York State Environmental Protection Services issued an Air Quality Alert throughout the day, systematically when levels of particulate matter concentrations are expected to be above 35. micrograms per cubic meter.

According to a specialist in these services, it is not uncommon for fire smoke from the West to reach the New York area, but it usually remains high enough in the atmosphere not to affect air quality. He pointed out that the smoke this time is less than usual. But that phenomenon should go away on Wednesday, with a cold front expected in the New York area, according to a U.S. National Weather Service spokesperson.

Several large fires have ravaged the western United States in recent days, particularly in California, Nevada and Oregon, where the dangerous Bootleg Fire is raging, even though fire season is just beginning.

In Canada, more than 2,000 people have been evacuated in recent days in the country’s most populous province of Ontario, and more than 200 fires have been active in this province and neighboring Manitoba, according to figures released by authorities on Tuesday.