Smoke From Canada Wildfires Makes Its Way To Newark, Officials Say

NEWARK, NJ — NOTE: Read our updates to this story here and here.

A strange-looking sun, a hazy horizon and the smell of smoke raised questions – as well as alerts – across Essex County on Tuesday evening.

Newark was among the New Jersey towns 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.

But the weather on Tuesday made the conditions more prominent, with the sun appearing a brighter orange than usual, surrounded by haze and smoke. Read More: NJ Cops Get 'Smoke And A Burning Odor' Calls Due To Canadian Wildfires

Mayor Ras Baraka and Department of Health and Community Wellness Director Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook urged Newark residents to take precautions while the air quality alert remains in place.

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

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.”

Weather conditions caused flight disruptions at Newark Airport on Tuesday evening, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials reported. Administrators advised air travelers to check with their carriers to determine the status of their flights.

Newark wasn’t the only place in Essex County that caught whiffs of smoke on Tuesday. Other reports included:

BLOOMFIELD

The Bloomfield Environmental Commission posted a social media message about the issue on Tuesday evening. It read:

“The haze enveloping Bloomfield this afternoon is smoke from massive and unprecedented wildfires burning across Canada. Air quality alerts have been issued for our area due to unhealthy levels of air pollution from fine particles in the wildfire smoke. The unhealthy air is expected to continue thru Wednesday and possibly thru the end of the week. Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and the young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors. Over eight million acres of forest in Canada have been burned by wildfires so far this month, an unprecedented amount that is ten times the average amount of land burned this early in the wildfire season. Wildfires all over the world - including New Jersey - are occurring earlier and are becoming more frequent, more intense -- and more destruction - due to the [effects] of drier and hotter conditions caused by climate change.”

EAST ORANGE

The City of East Orange issued a "special weather statement" about the wildfires and smoke on Tuesday.

"Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and the young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors," city officials advised.

FAIRFIELD

The Fairfield Police Department sent an Nixle alert around 5 p.m., advising people with respiratory issues to stay indoors.

“The police desk has been receiving multiple reports of smoke and a burning odor all throughout town,” authorities said. “This condition is caused by wildfires that are currently burning in Canada, this afternoon's weather has pushed the smoke towards the ground. Those with respiratory issues or sensitivity to poor air quality should remain indoors with their windows closed. In the event of a fire or if you see smoke and you are not sure of its origin, please call 911.”

MILLBURN

“Thick smoke associated with Canadian wildfires is moving across Northeast Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey this hour,” the Township of Millburn stated in an advisory to residents on Tuesday at 5:50 p.m.

“It will continue through the evening and into the overnight,” Millburn officials noted, citing National Weather Service reports. “The smoke will continue to move south overnight. Air quality alerts are in effect.”

MONTCLAIR

The Montclair Health Department issued the following advisory at 8:32 p.m. on Tuesday:

“The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued an Air Quality Action Day for the following counties – Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, Union – until midnight EDT Wednesday night. An Air Quality Action day for Particulate Matter has been declared for Tuesday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 7. Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and the young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors. Levels of fine particulates will rise into unhealthy for sensitive groups category statewide today and Wednesday and likely last into the evening hours both days due to wildfire smoke transport from eastern Canadian wildfires. For more information on the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI) please [click here].”

“The National Weather Service issued an Air Quality Alert this afternoon for New York City and parts of the Tri-State, including our area, due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires drifting across the region,” Montclair Councilman Peter Yacobellis stated.

The councilman recommended that people check AirNow.gov for air quality forecasts.

NUTLEY

The Township of Nutley released a statement about the situation:

"Please be advised that due to the wildfires in Canada, local air quality has become significantly compromised. An orange alert was issued for almost all of New Jersey by mid-afternoon Tuesday as conditions become unhealthy for young children, the elderly, and people with underlying lung conditions such as asthma, COPD and emphysema, according to data from the state Department of Environmental Protection."

WEST CALDWELL

The West Caldwell Police Department commented on the situation in an Nixle alert sent at 6:42 p.m. Police wrote:

“We are aware of the smoke conditions and burning odor in the area. The conditions are partially due to smoke drifting down the East Coast from the large Canadian wildfires. Please call 911 if you see a fire. Air quality conditions are expected to be poor in our area for the next couple of days due to the fires and dry weather. Please use caution when doing outside activities. Again, if you see a fire, dial 911 immediately.”

WEST ORANGE

In West Orange, the local public school district canceled outdoor recess and other outdoor activities during and after school on Wednesday, June 7.

The decision was made “due to the current conditions in our area and out of concern for the respiratory health of our students and staff,” administrators said. “Thank you for your understanding.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.