Wildfires in Canada: severely degraded air quality in New York

An alarming yellow-orange haze enveloped the city of New York in the United States on Wednesday, rendering the air unbreathable for the city’s 8.5 million residents. The cause? The 150 active wildfires raging in Quebec, which are leading to a significant deterioration in air quality. A health concern for the citizens!

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Summary

New York: becomes the Most Polluted City in the World for a Few Hours

The wildfires devastating regions of Canada have repercussions far beyond their borders. Winds carry the smoke and fine particles over long distances, eventually reaching the East Coast of the United States, including New York.

Wildfires Canada – Meersens Plateforme SaaS

This phenomenon has propelled air quality indexes to “dangerous” levels of toxicity, never before seen in the city of New York, surpassing Dubai, New Delhi, and even N’Djamena to become the most polluted city in the world.

The prevalence of PM2.5 in the air, fine particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 µm, is to blame. Their concentration is over ten times higher than the level recommended by the WHO.

According to the national weather service, the air quality index has transitioned from “hazardous” to “very hazardous” and even “dangerous” in certain areas of the state of New York. Children, the elderly, and individuals already suffering from respiratory health issues are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of air pollution and should take necessary precautions in response to these atmospheric conditions, such as avoiding outdoor activities and wearing masks, among others.

Harmful Air Quality for the Health of Residents

Air pollution in New York caused by Canadian wildfires has a significant impact on the health of residents.

The smoke from wildfires contains harmful compounds such as fine particles, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, which have adverse effects on human health when inhaled.

Particulate matter, which are small suspended particles in the air, can penetrate deep into the lungs and respiratory system, causing respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung infections. Additionally, these particles can also lead to cardiovascular issues, increasing the risks of stroke and heart diseases.

💡 It is worth noting that prolonged exposure to poor air quality can lead to long-term health problems, including a decrease in lung function and an increased risk of lung cancer.

Meersens Solutions for Combating Air Pollution in Cities

Meersens plays a crucial role in the fight against urban air pollution by providing accurate, real-time, predictive, and historical information on air quality. Meersens helps improve the health and well-being of city residents by assisting them in reducing their exposure to atmospheric pollution.

1️⃣ Real-time Air Quality Monitoring

Through Meersens’ environmental modeling, a powerful technology that, unlike air quality sensors, has the ability to estimate the levels of various air pollutants (such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, fine particles, pollen, noise, etc.) anywhere on the planet, air quality can be monitored worldwide at any given time. These hourly models, with a resolution that can reach a granularity of 50m x 50m in metropolitan areas, provide access to real-time pollution data, as well as predictive and historical information, at a street-level scale.

2️⃣ Alerts during Pollution Peaks

Meersens informs individuals about pollution episodes through personalized alerts.

For citizens, these alerts enable them to take preventive measures to reduce their exposure to air pollution when the air quality is poor.

help in implementing more effective measures to reduce air pollution and establish appropriate environmental policies in the city.

3️⃣ Awareness and Information

In addition to providing accurate air quality data, Meersens is committed to raising awareness among residents and providing information about the risks associated with atmospheric pollution. It offers personalized health and behavior recommendations to users to reduce their exposure to air pollutants, such as avoiding areas with high pollutant concentrations, refraining from intense outdoor physical activities, or choosing less polluted routes.

With air pollution affecting 99% of the planet today and climate change increasing the unpredictability of environmental risks, it is imperative for governments to respond to the growing demands of the public by adopting environmental intelligence to foster healthier and smarter cities.

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