Smoke from wildfires in the west has reached New York City | There are outbreaks in more than thirteen states in North America and Canada

The forest fires that have been burning for several days and that have swept through 13 states in the western United States and part of Canada are blanketing New York City in a thick layer of smoke. Health experts have therefore warned that the air quality in these conditions is harmful to health.

This morning, the air quality index rose to 157 in Manhattan, above the 100 threshold that causes health problems, according to climate data nonprofit Berkeley Health, the agency reported. ANSA.

Health officials have warned that vulnerable people, including pregnant women and the elderly, may experience difficulty breathing, as well as sore throats and watery eyes when exposed to air.

Images released to local media today showed the sun to be reddish orange due to conditions caused by the arrival of smoke from the fires.

The weather comes after at least 83 wildfires have ravaged 13 states in the western United States in the past few days, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Many fires are still burning, driven by winds and high temperatures.

“We see many fires that produce a huge amount of smoke, and by the time the smoke reaches the east of the country, where it usually dissolves, there is so much smoke in the air from all of these fires that it’s still pretty thick, “National Weather Service expert David Lawrence told USA Today.

Forecasters warned last week that the fires would surely reach the country’s east coast, causing health problems.

Depending on the characteristics of the fires, clouds of smoke can travel hundreds of kilometers.

As of the past weekend, thick clouds of smoke were visible over the Great Lakes region of the United States, in the heart of the country.

Meteorologist Carl Erickson warned in an interview with the New York Post that the thick layer of smoke would reach New York from Tuesday.

“What would normally have been a beautiful sunny day with blue skies will likely have that milky, hazy look in the sky,” Erickson said, adding that “there could be some really beautiful sunsets, enhanced and vibrant with this. smoke”.

Forecasters said winds could clear much of the smoke clouds from the weekend.