Quebec wildfire smoke leads to alerts, cancellations in upstate New York

The current air-quality conditions across upstate New York caused by the smoke from the wildfires in Quebec has prompted advisories from local-government officials and some cancellations, postponements, and schedule changes.

More than 160 wildfires are currently burning in the Canadian province, the Syracuse Fire Department said in a Tuesday morning statement.

“The smoke, dust, and particulate that these fires are sending into the atmosphere are being carried to Central New York and have prompted air quality warnings in Syracuse and Central New York in general,” the department said.

The Onondaga County Health Department on Tuesday afternoon urged area residents to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families.

“The smoke from the wildfires can pose serious health risks, especially those with pre-existing respiratory conditions, children, and the elderly,” Dr. Kathryn Anderson, Onondaga County Health Commissioner, said in a release. “It is essential to be aware of the situation and take appropriate measures to minimize exposure to the smoke.”

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued an air-quality advisory that will continue at least through Wednesday over concerns about fine-particulate matter as a pollutant, per the DEC’s Tuesday afternoon update.

The DEC says fine-particulate matter consists of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM 2.5 can be made of many different types of particles and often come from processes that involve combustion (e.g. vehicle exhaust, power plants, and fires) and from chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

The department added that exposure can cause short-term health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. People with heart or breathing problems, and children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM 2.5.

Sports activities

The website of NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV) reported that many school districts including those in the Central New York area have canceled all outdoor activities and practices for sports. The City of Utica has cancelled all softball and soccer games and practices as well as all sports activities at all City of Utica fields due to the air quality.

The Syracuse Mets late Tuesday afternoon announced that their Tuesday night home game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs “has been postponed because of poor air quality.” 

The Mets are also pushing back Wednesday’s scheduled home game vs. Lehigh Valley  to 6:35 p.m. from 11:05 a.m. “These changes come after shifts in the air quality forecast,” the Mets said. 

The team announced earlier that Wednesday’s Education Day promotion has also been called off.

Syracuse Fire Department advisory

In its statement earlier in the day, the Syracuse Fire Department cited the National Weather Service as indicating the air-quality index in Syracuse today is 150, which is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

These groups include those with pre-existing heart and lung problems as well as the elderly and young children. They are being encouraged to avoid strenuous activity outside and remain indoors.

The statement from the Syracuse Fire Department went on to say, “Smoke makes up a significant portion of the haze that we are seeing right now. An odor of smoke that would normally indicate a potential structure fire in residential areas, could also be attributed to the smoke from the wildfires. We encourage anyone concerned that an odor of smoke nearby might be indicative of a structure fire to try to gather as much information as possible before calling 911 to report it. This will help to cut down on false alarms for smoke odors related to wildfires and help increase the Fire Department’s operational readiness for other alarms.”