Air Hits 'Unhealthy' Level In Newark Due To Wildfire Smoke (Update)

NEWARK, NJ — The air pollution in New Jersey’s largest city temporarily rose above “unhealthy” levels on Wednesday morning, largely due to wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada, officials said.

A hazy horizon and the smell of smoke raised questions – as well as alerts – across the city on Tuesday evening, when the weather made the sun appear an unusual orange color.

Newark was among the New Jersey cities that was reportedly exposed to the smoke, which officials say is coming from massive wildfires burning across Canada.

The National Weather Service has been warning people in New Jersey and points north to stay inside if they have respiratory conditions, due to particulates in the air from the wildfires. It was a message repeated by city officials in Newark on Wednesday.

Mayor Ras Baraka and Department of Health and Community Wellness Director Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook urged city residents to take precautions during an air quality alert issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which is expected to remain in effect until further notice.

“Due to heavy smoke from a convergence of wildfires as far away as Canada, the NJDEP has issued an air quality alert for the northern region of the state, including Newark,” Baraka said.

“I ask everyone to protect their health by staying informed and carefully following the NJDEP’s guidelines throughout the duration of the alert,” he added.

According to a statement from the mayor’s office:

“The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Newark was as high as 166 this morning, but as of 11 a.m., dropped to 157. An AQI value of 157 is considered unhealthy air for people to breathe. The poor air quality is attributed to wildfires in Canada that are polluting the air with particulate matter from burning trees and other materials. An air quality index of 100 or below is considered moderate to good, and generally satisfactory for most people. Anything above 301 is considered hazardous. The AQI in Newark is projected to drop to 125 tomorrow, which remains a concern, particularly for older or pregnant people, children, and those with health conditions that put them at risk.”

About one out of four kids in Newark have asthma, studies say – a rate three times higher than the national average.

To protect yourself from the current poor air quality, the NJDEP advises:

• Staying indoors as much as possible
• Keeping your windows closed
• Using an air purifier if possible
• If you must go outside, limit your physical activity and wear a mask for any extended period of exposure

“These guidelines are for all of us and even our pets, because air pollution concentrations are unhealthy for everyone,” Alsbrook said. “But they should be most carefully followed by sensitive groups such as children, older adults, and people with heart disease, asthma, or other lung diseases.”

The Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness will continue to monitor the air quality and will issue updates as needed throughout the alert, officials said.

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Experts with Rutgers University also urged caution for people who may be vulnerable.

Robert Laumbach, an air-quality expert from the Rutgers School of Public Health, said that particle air pollution across the region has reached levels “not seen in many years.”

“Particle pollution can worsen asthma and other lung and heart conditions, and everyone is at risk of adverse health effects at the current ‘Unhealthy’ Air Quality Index (AQI) particle pollution levels,” Laumbach said.

Anthony Broccoli, an atmospheric scientist at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, said the “unusual situation” is the results of a combination of wildfires in eastern Canada and a persistent weather pattern that is bringing the smoke from those fires south across the area.

“There's another wave of heavier smoke that is just moving into northwestern New Jersey now and spreading south, southeastward,” Broccoli added. “I expect that things in much of New Jersey will get worse before they get better.”

• See Related: Smoke From Canada Wildfires Makes Its Way To Newark, Officials Say

The situation also surprised local residents and visitors.

“Why is the whole Newark filled with smoke?” one person tweeted at 5:45 p.m. “TF going on…”

“I’m in a nearby county from Newark,” another person replied. “The sky is literally yellow.”

“It’s all over,” someone else tweeted. “I drove from East Hanover to Newark earlier and it was a haze and a smell like burning rubber everywhere. Try to stay inside if you can.”

The Newark City Council also addressed the issue at their public meeting on Wednesday (watch the video below, cued to the announcement).

NEWARK AIRPORT DELAYS

Flight delays were seen at Newark Airport on Wednesday due to the ongoing wildfire smoke situation, reports say.

Departures to Newark saw ground delays that averaged 82 minutes due to “low visibility,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The current smoke condition may impact your travel,” the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey tweeted at 12:12 p.m. “Please check with your airline to determine the status of your flight.”

• See Related: Wildfire Smoke Delays Newark Airport Flights, FAA Says

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