New York has the world’s worst air pollution as wildfires rage in Canada

NEW YORK — A smoky haze drifted from Canada Tuesday across much of the northern United States, where hundreds of wildfires raged and prompted air quality alerts from Minnesota to Massachusetts.

In Ontario, a layer of haze blanketed parts of Ottawa and Toronto, where Canadian officials warned residents about poor air quality as smoke hung over New York state and Vermont.

New York was the world’s most polluted major city as of Tuesday night, according to IQAir, a tech company that tracks air quality and pollution around the world.

According to the Swiss air quality company, air pollution in the city was classified as “unhealthy” and at 1.25am New York time was higher than in the Indian capital Delhi and Iraq’s Baghdad.

Canada is on track to experience its worst wildfire season on record if fire rates continue at the same pace.

According to government officials, around 3.3 million hectares have been destroyed so far. Around 413 fires are currently burning and 26,000 Canadians have had to evacuate their homes.

In eastern Canada, Quebec was hardest hit by wildfires early Tuesday afternoon. According to the fire department, there were more than 150 active fires in the area.

Residents in some areas have been asked to close their windows and doors, local Quebec officials said.

Videos and pictures showed how some fires blazed for kilometers and dark clouds of smoke shot into the sky.

At a news conference Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was in touch with local officials across Canada about the fires.

“This is a scary time for a lot of people,” Trudeau said.

Mr Bill Blair, Canada’s Minister for Public Safety, said at the press conference that “the images we have seen so far this season are some of the most serious that have been seen in Canada”.

Many Canadians who had to be evacuated in recent days had just hours to pack before fleeing their homes, Mr Trudeau said.

“When people lose their homes, they don’t just lose a roof and their belongings,” Trudeau said. “They are losing a special place where they saw their children grow up and where they built a life. This is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking.”