Canada's Wildfire Smoke Set To Blanket New York City

A massive plume of wildfire smoke from Canadian prairies is moving southeastward, affecting the Dakotas, Midwest, Ohio Valley, and expected to reach the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions later today. The National Weather Service issued alerts for the Northeast, particularly the New York City metro area, due to high particulate levels. The Air Quality Index has six ratings, ranging from "Good" to "Hazardous, with vulnerable groups advised to stay indoors. The smoke is expected to blanket the region within hours, affecting New Jersey, New York City, surrounding suburbs, and southern Connecticut. Wildfires in Alberta, Canada, forced 7% of national output to go offline earlier this week. Canada's government has faced criticism for not investing enough in forest management strategies, with local media acknowledging the issue. The smoke-related disruptions are causing problems across the US, and Canada should be held accountable. The situation is expected to worsen, with smoke set to impact the area for much of the day. The Air Quality Index is a crucial tool in assessing the severity of air pollution. The smoke plume is a result of ongoing wildfires in the Canadian prairies.