Residents across the Boston area woke up to smoky skies and an unusual yellow-orange haze as wildfire smoke from Canada drifted into New England, reducing air quality and prompting health warnings from medical experts.
The smoke was noticeable throughout the day, with many people describing darker skies, a red-tinted sun and conditions that looked unlike a typical summer day.
“I was standing in my little kitchen area and all of a sudden I looked out the window and I said, ‘What? It’s dark out!’” said Bridie Coulter.
Others said the smoky conditions were striking.
“I mean that’s kind of terrifying because it feels like we’re in an apocalyptic war zone or something,” said Bella Cardona in Boston.
Cardona added that while the scenery looked beautiful, it also raised concerns.
“The sun was red. It was bright red. Today I honestly thought it looked really pretty, but some people were saying it was pollution,” she said.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires affecting air quality
The haze blanketing the region is the result of wildfire smoke traveling south from Canada. While the smoky skies may be visually dramatic, doctors warn that the tiny particles in the smoke can pose health risks.
“There’s never a level that’s healthy, but in particular for wildfire smoke, we think about the fine particulate matter as one of the most important drivers of things that can make you sick from wildfire smoke,” said Dr. Regan Bergmark, a sinus surgeon with Mass General Brigham.
Health experts say an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 100 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with asthma or other respiratory conditions. On Wednesday afternoon, Boston’s AQI reached 132, placing air quality in the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups category.
“You never want to be breathing polluted air. If you have asthma, you might have an asthma attack. If you’re a healthy person, you’re probably not going to have something dramatic happen to you, but obviously it’s better to breathe fresh air,” Bergmark said.
How to protect yourself
Doctors recommend limiting time outdoors when air quality deteriorates due to wildfire smoke. Keeping windows and doors closed and using an air purifier or air filtration system indoors can help reduce exposure to harmful particles.
Even people without underlying health conditions may experience symptoms such as eye irritation, coughing or throat discomfort after prolonged exposure to smoky air.
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