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Just about a year ago, smoke from wildfires in Quebec reached New York City, turning our sky an eerie orange and severely impacting the local air quality. When that happened, New Yorkers were quick to criticize the local government's response to the issues, specifically arguing that Mayor Eric Adams did not do much to protect the elderly and those suffering from asthma and related maladies.
This year, though, things will be different: given the unfortunate regularity of forest fires in Canada, local officials have set up a plan to deal with potential smoke-related problems more efficiently.
“It looks like there are a lot of very dry areas of Canada right now,” said Zach Iscol, the Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, in an official statement earlier this week. “That can lead to increased amounts of smoke when you have those types of wildfires.”
Here is the list of the various measures that local officials have put into place to deal with the potentially hazardous situation:
- Distribution of free face masks when air quality issues become apparent.
- During a press conference, Adams announced the installation of a number of cooling centers all around the city that will open as soon as next week. This interactive map will highlight which destinations are open at any given moment.
- The launch of a new technology that will automatically alert schools and outdoor event organizers about dangerous changes in air quality. The new system will supposedly also notify the public about the conditions, urging folks to wear face masks.