Author: Devon Seifer
School: Brooklyn Technical High School
Publication Date: July 25, 2023
If you are a NYC resident, or resident of really anywhere in the Tristate area, you probably remember the events of June 7th, 2023. While the date itself may not ring any bells, you likely know exactly what you were doing when the city was overtaken by a menacing, deep orange haze. That incident marked what was unfortunately only the beginning of a likely smoke filled summer for New Yorkers.
This troubling phenomena can be attributed to the raging Canadian wildfires, which even now continue to devour the northern countryside. The smoke is specifically a mixture of gasses and fine ash particles composed of the wood, brush, crop, structure, tires, and even waste that’ve burned in the fires. Because of that, it greatly decreases the air quality of whatever area it drifts across, even bringing NYC’s AQI value down to the worst in the world and a record low on that surreal day. Though it rarely turns such a dark hue of orange as it did then, it usually does reduce visibility and carry with it an overpowering odor.
New Yorkers aren’t the only ones experiencing the wild effects. As of this past monday (07/17/23), 137 million Americans found themselves under air quality alerts due to the fires. All across the midwest and Northeast, poor visibility and “hazardous” conditions disrupted summer plans and halted flights.
While the fog didn’t herald the end-of-the-world, apocalyptic havoc one might think would accompany a dark orange sky, the real health consequences are still quite noteworthy. Common short term effects many across the northern U.S. have already experienced are burning of the eyes, coughing, sore throat, nausea, and headaches. Long term effects are more troubling, with studies showing that prolonged exposure to smoke may correspond to a higher rate of cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease later in life.
This risk becomes more real for anyone with pre-existing conditions. For those who have asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, or who are pregnant, elderly, or children, there is both a greater likelihood of and greater severity to the possible impacts of the smoke.
Even for the un-immunocompromised, though, there is a real threat of serious health problems if exposed long enough. While this can be mostly avoided by staying indoors during times of poor conditions, not everyone in NYC has a smog proof home. Old buildings and low quality constructions especially often have poor insulation and ventilation. Furthermore, not all air conditioners have the proper filtration to allow them to be safely used during hazardous conditions. Although there are air purifiers one can buy to better guard their home from wildfire smoke, high prices limit who can actually afford them.
All of this leaves groups who don’t have adequate shelter very vulnerable over the long smoke-filled summer, especially when also considering recent record high temperatures. With nearly 70,000 homeless and air conditioning in less that 50% of NYC public housing, it is clear that new solutions are becoming necessary.
In April, roughly a month before wildfire smoke first presented itself as a major issue, mayor Adams released a plan for making the city more sustainable. In a press conference, he unveiled PlaNYC, in which he promises to, among other things, “protect New Yorkers from climate threats.” A key way the city plans to accomplish this is by “maximiz[ing] access to indoor cooling by requiring all new building construction to include cooling infrastructure” and “advocating for reforms to the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program so that it broadly covers equipment and energy costs for cooling in addition to heating.”
The Canadian brush fires show no signs of stopping until September thanks to hot, dry and windy conditions in the Canadian wilderness. As these circumstances are due to the worsening problem of global warming and the extreme weather it spawns, it can only be expected that such drifting smoke will continue to be a problem in coming summers. If mayor Adam’s propositions were to become reality, they could prove to be a huge step towards managing this new phenomenon, but the fact remains that such an endeavor won’t be easy. It would only be the first step in an extensive and lasting battle against climate change.
RESEARCH, NOTES, OR BIBLIOGRAPHY:
“Wildfire Smoke.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Dec. 2013, www.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/smoke.html#:~:text=Wildfire%20smoke%20is%20a%20mix,enough%20smoke%20in%20the%20air.
Dennis, Brady, and Joyce Koh. “Smoke from Canadian Wildfires Engulfs East Coast, Upending Daily Life.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 June 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/07/air-quality-nyc-us-canada-wildfire-smoke/.
“Exposure to Smoke from Fires.” Department of Health, New York State Department of Health, July 2023, health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/air/smoke_from_fire.htm#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20smoke%20can%20also,of%20cardiovascular%20disease%20and%20mortality.
Anthes, Emily. “The New War on Bad Air.” The New York Times, 17 June 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/06/17/health/covid-ventilation-air-quality.html.
“Homelessness & Poverty in New York City.” The Bowery Mission, Nov. 2022, www.bowery.org/homelessness/#:~:text=How%20many%20people%20are%20homeless,70%2C000%20men%2C%20women%20and%20children.
Robinson, David. “NY Air Quality FAQ: Can I Use My Air Conditioning? Is Air inside Much Better than Outdoors?” The Journal News, Lohud., 9 June 2023, www.lohud.com/story/news/2023/06/09/wildfires-faq-air-quality-near-me-air-conditioning-use-air-inside-better/70303293007/.
Reed, Betsy. “Air Pollution in US from Wildfire Smoke Is Worst in Recent Recorded History.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 June 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/08/air-quality-record-smoke-hazard-wildfire-worst-day-ever-canada-new-york.
“Mayor Adams Releases.” The Official Website of the City of New York, NYC, 20 Apr. 2023, www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/274-23/mayor-adams-releases-planyc-getting-sustainability-done-new-york-city-s-strategic-climate-plan#/0.
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