As Canadian wildfires rage once again this summer, New York City residents are breathing in the consequences. Smoke from the fires has drifted south, spiking air pollution levels in several neighborhoods, including the Bronx and western Queens, where high asthma rates already put residents at greater risk.
On Friday, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached levels above 100, landing firmly in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category. That includes children, older adults, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Dr. Krystal Cleven, Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Montefiore Asthma Center, said the elevated pollution levels impacts all New Yorkers.
“Air pollution is hazardous to your health, no matter who you are,” Cleven said. “The World Health Organization specifically says that no level of air pollution is safe.”
The AQI, a scale developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), condenses measurements from five major pollutants into a single, easy-to-read number. The primary culprits after the wildfires are particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which increases on hot, sunny days like those New York has experienced recently.
“You can’t see the air pollution,” Cleven said. “So, the air pollution could be around, and you can’t see it now.”
Bronx residents are uniquely vulnerable to poor air quality. The Bronx has asthma rates nearly twice as high as the rest of the city earning portions of the South Bronx the nickname, “asthma alley”. Compounding the problem are longstanding issues like poor housing conditions, which contribute to indoor air pollution through mold, roaches, and inadequate ventilation.
Western Queens faces similar challenges. Dense traffic corridors and proximity to industrial zones contribute to chronic respiratory health disparities.
Dr. Cleven advised residents—especially those in high-risk groups—to monitor their symptoms closely saying that symptoms from poor air quality may not be immediate.
“They can happen a few hours later,” Cleven said. “Sometimes patients have minimal symptoms the day that the air quality is poor, but they don’t actually have enough airway inflammation to have a real exacerbation for a few days later,”
”Anyone with asthma should have an asthma action plan,” Cleven said. “They should know what measurement when they measure their breathing with their peak flow meter is a danger zone for them.”
Dr. Cleven urged residents to “try to stay informed about the air quality.” She recommends using websites like airnow.gov, where people can put in their zip code and find out the AQI. Alerts can also be set up via EnviroFlash, a program through the EPA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“You can set up alerts on your phone to tell you when the air quality is poor,” she said.
Cleven said that people, especially those who already deal with respiratory issues, should monitor their exposure.
“ I would say minimize your time outside,” Cleven said. “If you’re going to go outside, do shorter things. Don’t exert yourself so much so you’re not filtering so much air through your lungs. Schedule activities in the air pollution levels are lower like in the morning.”
For those who can afford it, air purifiers with HEPA filters can significantly reduce indoor pollution. Cleven said that on days when outdoor air quality is high, its important to control the indoor environment.
“Don’t smoke inside the house,” Cleven said. “Don’t burn any candles when air pollution levels are high because you want to keep your indoor air zone as clean as possible.”
The reality is stark: climate change is extending wildfire season and increasing the frequency of high-pollution days in cities far from the fires themselves. For now, experts like Dr. Cleven are focused on what individuals can control—staying informed, staying indoors when necessary, and managing health proactively.
