An incredible time-lapse video shows the moment that New York City became engulfed by glowing orange smog caused by 400 Canadian wildfires.
The footage shows a view of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan slowly becoming almost impossible to see over four hours.
At the beginning, images show a grey and slightly opaque smoke over the city, which quickly descends into a bright orange haze from 11 am to 2 pm on Wednesday.
A sheet of smoke from the wildfires first descended on New York on Tuesday before thickening throughout the afternoon.
It quickly left those in Manhattan without the ability to see the New Jersey skyline across the Hudson River – setting off air quality warnings in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Virginia and the Carolinas.
In the Big Apple, Mayor Eric Adams encouraged people to stay inside as the smog hit, as the FAA grounded flights from LaGuardia Airport and Newark Airport.
Adams urged at risk residents to be cautious amid the crisis, as he also noted that climate change was the reason for the yellow skies.
‘This may be the first time we’ve experienced something like this on this magnitude,’ he said. ‘Let me be clear, it’s not the last.’
Coney Island Brooklyn, NY.
Smokey sky's around Coney Island Brooklyn.
🎥 @LeeroyPress
For licensing email [email protected] #AirQuality #smoke #NYCsmoke pic.twitter.com/GD7hbA9eXP— Viral News NY (@ViralNewsNYC) June 7, 2023
Residents in Washington reported seeing a grey veil engulfing the city on what should have been a blue-sky day.
Those in DC will see the smog hang around for a few more days, with pupils in schools being cautioned to stay inside throughout the day.
A school administrator in Chevy Chase said: ‘Many staff and parents are concerned about the wildfires in Canada and the resulting poor air quality that we are experiencing here.’
Eerie scene at George Washington Bridge in NYC.pic.twitter.com/xUx92fTdZs
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 7, 2023
The Chicago White Sox still traveled to the New York Yankees for a game in the Bronx, with many recounting the scenes as post-apocalyptic.
Orange skies in NYC?
The planet wants Trump. pic.twitter.com/r3D27WCPPt— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) June 7, 2023
The smoke that hit Philadelphia is likely to stay due to the consistent wind blowing through the north, with the air quality alert hitting a ‘Code Red’.
Smoke from a fire in the Bass River State Forest last week and another in Nova Scotia also blew down smog, which has now combined with the 400 wildfires to cover the area.
Tuesday night, local 911 centers received calls from residents who reported smelling smoke and others who reported respiratory distress.
As of Wednesday Morning, Detroit had the second-worst air quality on Earth, before being overtaken by New York.
But by the afternoon the air quality was improving – as Detroit had dropped to the No. 13 worst air quality in the world.
These are daytime pics of NYC and Pa supposedly due to the Canadian wildfires. We are receiving warnings to stay indoors because of the toxic air. Our throats burn..eyes burning and headaches. Also a metallic taste in our mouths. Since when are wildfires toxic? What’s happening? pic.twitter.com/JUN1ZnBmgw
— Lynne 🆘💉🚨 (@poconomtngirl) June 7, 2023
