Chicago's air quality index is the worst in the U.S. as Canadian wildfire smoke lingers
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/poor-air-quality-live-updates-rcna91545
By NBC News
烟霾又来！威胁全美8000万人 这城市空气全球最差
▲美国芝加哥空气品质受加拿大野火烟雾影响。（图／达志影像／美联社，下同）
加拿大野火产生的烟雾27日再次袭向美国，全美多州发布空气品质警报，超过8000万人受威胁，芝加哥、底特律空气品质排名一度沦为全球最差。大约三周之前，纽约市天空就已经被橘色雾霾笼罩过，如今纽约州长发推文警告，烟雾预计28日、29日再一次进入纽约上空。
综合CNN、卫报等报导，加拿大正历经有纪录以来最严重的火灾季节，数百起野火持续燃烧，其中200起还未受控制，产生的烟雾飘向美国。美国爱荷华州、伊利诺伊州、密西根州、马里兰州等发布全州空气品质警报，纽约州、堪萨斯州、宾州等则是针对部分地区发布示警。民众已被建议待在室内开启空调，部分地区人民若必须外出要戴N95口罩。
部分城市的天际线已被烟雾笼罩。依据IQAir数据，27日晚间，芝加哥、底特律空气品质排名一度沦为全球最差。底特律的空气品质指数数值一度达到205（非常不健康），芝加哥则是来到174（不健康）。芝加哥已要求所有居民避免户外活动，特别是患有心脏或肺部疾病者、高龄者、孕妇幼儿。
伊利诺伊州埃文斯顿市宣布所有游泳海滩关闭，取消音乐会。横跨密西根州的麦基诺大桥（MackinacBridge）因被烟雾笼罩造成能见度降低，要求驾驶们放慢开车速度。
依据美国疾病管制与预防中心（CDC），野火烟雾中含有PM2.5悬浮微粒，吸入不仅可进入人体肺部组织，还能进入血液，影响心血管功能。
纽约州长侯可（KathyHochul）27日透过推特警告，加拿大野火的烟雾将于28日、29日进入纽约上空，部分地区空气品质预计将达到不健康的水平。纽约市长亚当斯（EricAdams）则说，在28日、29日外出者都应该戴上KN95或N95口罩。
大约3周前，美国多个主要城市被橘色雾霾覆盖，笼罩包括自由女神像等知名地标，能见度降低，纽约市空气品质的排名沦为全球主要城市地区最后一名，放眼望去的景象宛如世界末日。
▼大约3周前，纽约市的天空被橘色雾霾笼罩。（图／达志影像／美联社，下同）
▼后方的自由女神像几乎看不清楚。（图／达志影像／美联社）
芝加哥空气质量急剧恶化
受加拿大野火烟雾的影响，周二，芝加哥空气急剧恶化，空气质量水平达到全球最差的水平，伊利诺伊州北部的所有地区都进入了空气质量警报状态。
根据世界空气质量指数（World Air Quality Index）对全球城市进行的空气质量排名，周二，芝加哥的空气质量达到全球最差的水平（芝加哥本地时间6月28日凌晨2点，排名已降至第二位）。
据悉，在周二中午之前，芝加哥的空气质量就已经进入了“非常不健康”的水平范围。空气污染物PM2.5是造成芝加哥地区空气不佳的主要因素。 根据政府空气质量网站AirNow的数据，芝加哥空气质量指数在上午11点30分达到了209（超过200则被认为空气是“非常不健康”的），下午1点，这一指数已攀升至228，指数在下午4点左右达到258左右的峰值。
（芝加哥地区呈红色、深紫色；图片来源：AirNow官网）
西北医学院（Northwestern medicine）肺科和重症监护医学副主任拉维·卡尔汉（Ravi Kalhan）称，指数为20，相当于一个人每天抽一根烟，今天，芝加哥的该项指数持续接近200，这相当于一个人一天抽半包烟。卡尔汉还称，这种高强度的野火烟雾通常只持续几天，但如果公众长期处于低空气质量中，这将对他们的心肺健康会构成“长期风险”。
芝加哥公共卫生部专员艾莉森·阿瓦迪（Allison Arwady）说，（空气质量）达到这样的水平在芝加哥地区是不常见的。她建议，患有慢性肺病和心脏病的人应该呆在室内，任何长时间在户外的人都应该考虑戴N95或KN95口罩，居民也应该考虑关闭窗户，在室内使用空气净化器。 与此同时，受空气情况影响，芝加哥地区的多项室外活动被取消，或转移到室内。 据悉，芝加哥公园区（Chicago Park District）取消了周二晚上的Movies in the Park活动。园区还表示，他们正在努力“将夏令营在内的项目尽可能转移到室内”。
此外，周二早些时候，埃文斯顿（Evanston）的官员宣布，由于空气质量太差，他们将关闭海滩。埃文斯顿周二晚上的星光音乐会也已经取消。美国国家气象局表示，空气质量警报将至少持续到周三晚上，尚且无法确定，空气质量会有多差。联邦官员称，预计周三的空气质量指数仍将处于“不健康”水平，但是否会达到周二的“非常不健康”水平仍有待观察。 在空气质量方面，即将到来的风暴系统可能会有助于缓解目前的情况。据风暴预测中心称，该风暴系统可能会在周四下午到晚上到达芝加哥地区。 周四，芝加哥大部分地区面临“轻微”恶劣天气的风险，但好消息是，该系统可能会将最大的烟雾排出，当风暴在周五早上离开后，芝加哥地区的空气质量可能会有所改善。目前对周四的空气质量预报显示，周四的空气质量水平为“中等”，比周二和周三有所改善。但政府敦促居民减少暴露在烟雾中的时间，如果要呆在户外，尽量选择不那么剧烈的活动，因为活动越剧烈，越容易吸入大量烟雾。
周二，芝加哥市长布兰登·约翰逊（Brandon Johnson）发表了一份关于芝加哥“不健康”空气质量的声明。 声明称：由于芝加哥地区弥漫加拿大野火烟雾，美国环境保护局将空气质量指数归类为“不健康”，城市正在仔细监测并采取预防措施。所有人应避免剧烈的户外活动，缩短户外活动时间，将体育活动转移到室内或重新安排时间，尤其是儿童、青少年、老年人、患有心脏病或肺病的人以及孕妇。约翰逊还称，芝加哥人应考虑戴上口罩。
Live updates: Chicago's air quality index is the worst in the U.S. as Canadian wildfire smoke lingers
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/poor-air-quality-live-updates-rcna91545
By NBC News
Millions of people across the United States woke up to severe weather, with parts of the country smothered by smoke from Canadian wildfires, while others are dealing with stifling heat and severe storms.
Around 87 million people are at risk for poor air quality as smoke from the Canadian wildfires spreads, with Detroit, Chicago and Minneapolis among the top four cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to the tracking service IQAir.com.
Meanwhile, around 69 million people face heat alerts, which expanded to include not only the South and Southeast, but also the Midwest and California.
Severe storms capable of large hail are also anticipated across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, with Minneapolis being the largest metro area at risk.
The recent severe weather has prompted major disruptions, including sweeping flight cancellations and delays.
What to know about severe weather in U.S.
- The ongoing wildfires in Canada are expected to bring poor air quality to parts of the U.S. for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
- Large metro areas under air quality alerts include: Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Louisville, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Raleigh, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
- Excessive heat warnings and advisories have been issued for most of Texas, southern New Mexico, southeastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, southern Arkansas, Louisiana and southern Mississippi, according to the weather service.
- Showers and severe thunderstorms are expected over parts of Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota.
D.C. nonprofit urges susceptible groups to avoid outdoor activities
Antonio Planas
A Washington, D.C., nonprofit is urging sensitive groups to avoid outdoor activities Thursday.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recommended in a tweet that certain susceptible groups should avoid “long or intense outdoor activities” and consider rescheduling those activities or moving them indoors.
The group also advised healthy people to limit outside activities.
- SHARE THIS -
New York state health officials issue air quality advisory
Antonio Planas
A health advisory was issued for Thursday in New York because air quality is predicted to reach unhealthy levels, state officials said.
The advisory is in effect from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., state officials said.
Air levels are expected to deteriorate for the western and central regions of the state, along with eastern Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks, according to a joint statement from state Department of Environmental Conservation Basil Seggos and State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald.
The advisory warns everyone may begin to experience health effects, but members of sensitive groups may face more serious effects.
Individuals with heart or breathing problems, the elderly and children, may be more susceptible to exposure.
Health officials also recommend minimizing exposure both indoors and outdoors where fine particle concentrations may be higher.
- SHARE THIS -
From Chicago to Minnesota officials warn about air quality
Associated Press
In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson urged young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors and pledged “swift action to ensure that vulnerable individuals have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families.”
Minnesota issued a record 23rd air quality alert for the year through late Wednesday night, as smoky skies obscured the skylines of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were among other states issuing air quality alerts, and cities including Louisville also advised people to limit prolonged or intense outdoor activity.
- SHARE THIS -
Smoke from Canada wildfires increasing health risks in Black, poorer US communities
Associated Press
DETROIT — Smoky air from Canada’s wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and Kentucky on Wednesday, prompting warnings to stay inside and exacerbating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution.
The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday, leading the Environmental Protection Agency to warn that “everyone should stay indoors.”
“The more breaths you’re taking, you’re inhaling, literally, a fire, camp smoke, into your lungs,” said Darren Riley, who was diagnosed with asthma in 2018, a few years after arriving in Detroit.
“Many communities face this way too often,” said Riley, who is Black. “And while this wildfire smoke allows, unfortunately, many people to feel this burden, this is a burden that far too long communities have faced day in and day out.”
The Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov site showed Detroit in the “hazardous” range. Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have “very unhealthy” air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.
In the U.S., the smoke is exacerbating air quality issues for poor and Black communities that already are more likely to live near polluting plants, and in rental housing with mold and other triggers.
Detroit’s southwest side is home to a number of sprawling refineries and manufacturing plants. It is one of the poorest parts of a mostly Black city, which has an overall poverty rate of about 30%.
- SHARE THIS -
N.C. health officials urge precaution against heat
There have been almost 400 emergency room visits in North Carolina for heat-related illnesses through mid-June, officials said as they continue to urge residents to take the proper precautions.
Public health officials with the state's Department of Health and Human Services advised North Carolinians to stay wary of signs of heat-related illness including fatigue, weakness, fainting, vomiting and muscle cramps. Anyone experiencing those symptoms is told to drink water, move to a cool place and seek medical attention.
Health officials also said that the state's heat report shows that through June 17, there have been 361 ER visits for heat-related illnesses. Cooling assistance is available for people who are eligible, the health department said.
- SHARE THIS -
An intensifying heat wave
A dramatic time-lapse released yesterday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed how much extreme heat has intensified over Mexico and the central and southern U.S. since the beginning of May.
