April 24 (UPI) — A New Jersey wildfire Thursday prompted a New York City air quality alert until midnight covering Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton and State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued a fine particulate matter air quality health advisory for the NYC Metro and Long Island regions for Thursday.
“Exposure can cause short-term health effects, such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath,” the New York Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement. “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.”
Fine particulate matter is expected to reach levels of PM 2.5, exceeding an Air Quality Index value of 100.
Air quality alerts for New York City and Long Island are in effect until midnight Thursday. The smell of smoke will be in the air and hazy skies will be visible.
The advisory also said dry conditions are causing a high fire danger rating in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Capital Region and parts of North Country. The rest of New York State is at a moderate fire risk.
New York City Emergency Management said air quality will be unhealthy as visible smoke makes its way from the Jones Road wildfire to the city.
That fire was still burning Thursday morning and was 50% contained as it reached 13,250 acres Wednesday night. It is expected to keep burning into Friday.
The New Jersey Jones Road wildfire forced the evacuation of 5,000 people along the East Coast in Ocean County but the evacuation was lifted Wednesday.
It started on Tuesday in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area of Ocean County.
Winds are expected to shift away from New York City and Long Island overnight Thursday but Friday could bring more of the New Jersey wildfire smoke into the New York City area.
