Smoke from Canadian wildfires shrouded New York in a record-breaking apocalyptic smog Wednesday as cities along the US East Coast issued air pollution warnings and thousands evacuated their homes in Canada.
The devastating fires have displaced more than 20,000 people and scorched about 3.8 million hectares of land in Canada, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described this wildfire season as the country's worst ever.
"It smells like someone is doing a barbecue," said Nicha Suaittiyanon, a 30-year-old tourist in New York City from Thailand, who complained of watery and itchy eyes.Mayor Eric Adams told New Yorkers to limit outdoor activity to"the absolute necessities," adding:"This is not the day to train for a marathon."
US President Joe Biden said on Twitter that more than 600 firefighters along with other personnel and equipment had been sent to Canada to help battle the blazes.More than 11,000 people have already been evacuated in Quebec, and another 4,000 were expected to flee by the end of Wednesday, said the province's Premier Francois Legault.
IQAir.com, which tracks air quality around the world, said New York -- normally known for blue skies -- was enduring the worst air quality index of any major city in the world.Hugh Hill, a 43-year-old lawyer, said his throat had been stinging from the harmful haze, which he likened to the smell of a wood-burning fire.
NASA scientist Ryan Stauffer told AFP that New York had broken its previous AQI high, set 21 years ago.- 'A cough all day long' - Major League Baseball postponed Wednesday's game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox as well as the Phillies' home game against the Detroit Tigers due to poor air quality.Music organizers canceled the opening night of a concert series in Brooklyn set to feature Corinne Bailey Rae.
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