NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The smoke from the Canadian Wildfires continued to spread across the state on Wednesday. Because of this, the air quality across Connecticut reached Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and even Hazardous levels.
"You can definitely see the haze. There's no doubt about that," said Peter McAlinden of Cheshire.
Not only could the haze be seen across the state, but it could be felt and even tasted at some points. The conditions were poor even for those without any breathing issues.
"I'm sure anyone out there today is having difficulty breathing. It's that bad out," said Paul Farrell, Acting Chief for the Bureau of Air Management with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Farrell said because of the way our atmosphere works, Connecticut is an easy target for pollution to persist.
"There's a low-pressure system over Maine. And that counterclockwise rotation is bringing that smoke down through Canada, into New York, and now it's passing into Connecticut as we speak," Farrell said in an interview with FOX61 on Wednesday afternoon.
The smoke from the wildfires not only carries whatever is burning in Canada, but Farrell said it picks up other toxins and chemicals on its journey.
"It's leading to some of the highest fine particulate matter readings that we've seen in years. And fine particulates, it's a very serious air pollutant," Farrell said.
At one point in the day, Farrell said the Syracuse area saw a one-hour level of over 400 micrograms per cubic meter.
"To put that into context, on a normal, good air day, our levels are probably six or eight micrograms per cubic meter, so that gives you an idea of the scale and magnitude of the level of pollution we're seeing in the air today. It is really unprecedented," Farrell said.
Because of this, DEEP officials are recommending that people stay indoors if they can. If they have to be outside, it's recommended that you limit the amount of time you need to be outside and avoid strenuous activities.
"Almost treat it like a snowstorm. Just go inside, watch a movie, and just wait for the air to clear later on today," Farrell said.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health also sent out a statement, recommending that those who do have asthma or lung or heart conditions do stay inside during the poor air quality conditions.
“The health effects for some people may include chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness, and other symptoms,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. "We recommend that you avoid any outdoor exercise today if you have an underlying health condition. Be sure to have your medications readily available and seek medical attention if these issues worsen.”
Schools ended up canceling outdoor activities and the CIAC (The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference) rescheduled its state tournament games due to "the air quality forecast and high aerobic intensity nature of lacrosse."
"Just reaching out to our doctors. Making sure we have the best information possible, thinking of the nature of the activities taking place today, and what's in the best interest and safety of our kids," said Glenn Lungarini, Executive Director for the CIAC.
The semi-final games have been tentatively rescheduled for Thursday, weather permitting. For a full list of the dates and times of the games, click here.
In the meantime, while conditions are expected to improve on Thursday, the smoke from the wildfires is likely to stick around across the state.
"You just really want to minimize your exposure to the air pollution. So if you don't have to be outside when the levels are the worst, which is really right now probably through dinner time, then you don't want to be outside," Farrell said.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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