Philadelphia’s hazardous air quality from Canadian wildfires is worst level in city since 1999

Philadelphia is experiencing its worst air quality in at least 24 years as the noxious haze from the Canadian wildfires blanketing the East Coast this week has caused "hazardous" air quality that city officials say should keep residents indoors until conditions improve.

The color-coded Air Quality Index tracked by the U.S. government is showing Philadelphia's air quality level as maroon, the worst level kept by AirNow.gov. The Air Quality Index in Philadelphia was at 361 as of 8 a.m. Thursday, significantly worse than the air-quality levels in other major East Coast cities hit by the smoke like New York and Washington. By 9 a.m., the air-quality level was still at 325. Public officials recommend that any area with a "hazardous" level of air quality means that "everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels."

How bad is the wildfire smoke in your city? Use our tool to find out.

"Due to the fires, many areas across the forecast area are experiencing very unhealthy levels," the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection wrote in its forecast. The department warned that elderly people or those with respiratory issues should not go outside. "Please limit outdoor exposure, especially if you are a part of the vulnerable population."

James Garrow, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, told The Washington Post that the air quality in the city is the worst it's been since at least 1999, which is as far back as the department's records go.

"The air is unhealthy to breathe," he said Thursday. "The numbers that we’re seeing right now in terms of air quality are the worst in that time frame. We haven't seen anything like this."

How long will wildfire smoke last? Here's what we know.

The Wednesday winds throughout Philadelphia acted as the catalyst for the thick plume of smoke that covered the East Coast's second-largest city, as well as cities in the southern part of Pennsylvania. The city's health department tweeted on Thursday that "while the smoke in the air from the fires in Canada may lessen today, it can still be dangerous."

City officials suggest the air could improve to orange on the color-coded scale by Thursday afternoon, which would mean the air quality is still unhealthy and that people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should limit their outdoor exposure. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (D) said Wednesday that his office was "monitoring this situation as smoke from wildfires in Canada is affecting our city and region."

"The city continues to operate under an air quality alert and residents are advised to continue to take precautions until air quality improves," the health department wrote on Thursday.

UPDATE: While the smoke in the air from the fires in Canada may lessen today, it can still be dangerous. The city continues to operate under an air quality alert and residents are advised to continue to take precautions until air quality improves. (1/6) pic.twitter.com/5JGFXnAFhC

The dire conditions in Philadelphia are among the worst of the East Coast and Midwestern states facing hazardous and unhealthy air-quality levels early Thursday. Residents in the Washington and Baltimore regions woke up on Thursday to their worst air quality in years, as the noxious haze that came across the border continued to smother the East Coast.

Air-quality alerts remain in effect in the Northeast and Midwest on Thursday and might extend into Friday, when the smoke is expected to disperse.

Hazardous air conditions continue on East Coast as U.S. rushes firefighters to Canada

The worst of the air-quality issues are now affecting Pennsylvania, where a reading of 476 was recorded in Lancaster County in southeast part of the state early Thursday. The air quality in much of Pennsylvania is at red or purple, signifying unhealthy or very unhealthy readings. Forecasts from state officials predict that the weather pattern pushing the smoke from Quebec's wildfires should continue to affect Pennsylvania until Friday.

The hazardous air quality in Philadelphia has led to a slight uptick in emergency visits for respiratory complaints on Tuesday, Garrow said.

The haze has also upended everyday life. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that all flights at Philadelphia International Airport were grounded due to low visibility from the haze. A similar stoppage was issued at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday and Thursday.

"Reduced visibility from wildfire smoke will continue to impact air travel today," the agency wrote. "We will likely need to take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte."

The School District of Philadelphia said that classes would continue Thursday, but that it was encouraging students "to wear masks during the commute to and from school." Windows and doors at the schools would remain closed in an effort to reduce air pollution.

"At schools, outside activities such as recess, outside field trips and field days will be moved indoors if possible, postponed or canceled," Oz Hill, the chief operating officer for the district, wrote in a Thursday letter to parents.

The Philadelphia Phillies postponed their Wednesday game against the Detroit Tigers due to the air quality. The game is rescheduled for Thursday at 6:05 p.m., but it's unclear if the game will be played due to ongoing hazardous conditions.

Garrow told The Post that city officials have asked organizations and businesses that have an outdoor component to consider canceling or postponing their events, "but we are not mandating that."

"It's up to those places to make that decision, but our recommendation is a strong one that any outdoor events should be canceled or postponed," he said.

Garrow's recommendation echoes the city's plea for residents to avoid going outdoors as much as possible on Thursday.

How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke and levels of poor air quality

"If you have to go outdoors, wear a high-quality mask, like an N95 or KN95 mask," the department wrote on Twitter.

Health officials are also strongly recommending that Philadelphia residents close all windows and doors, recirculate the air in their homes with fans, and pay attention to their own bodies if they are having trouble breathing.

"If they are having trouble breathing, feeling nauseous, or dizzy, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible," the city wrote.

Other recommendations for those in Philadelphia on Thursday include avoiding unnecessary trips in their cars, idling or using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

Why wildfire smoke is bad for your health

While there is optimism the air quality in the city could improve by the weekend, Garrow noted there is some concern the effects of the haze could linger for longer. He described it as "an absolutely unique situation" that he could only compare to the city's response to covid-19 and the recent chemical spill that threatened to contaminate Philadelphia's drinking water.

"This is a little bit different since it's really everywhere," he said. "The ways that this affects people is probably a lot more stressful than a lot of the other things we’ve seen."

He added, "Literally the air you breathe is getting more difficult to breathe."

Victoria Bisset contributed to this report

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