toxic smoke from wildfires affects Ottawa and New York

It’s a disturbing picture over Ottawa. The Canadian capital finds itself, Tuesday, June 6, under an orange sky, charged with a thick pollution with fine particles. This is the consequence of the 160 active wildfires in Quebec, most of which are out of control.

Driven by the winds, the smoke reached Montreal and Ottawa, where poor air quality presents a “very high risk” for the population, according to Environment Canada. Authorities have asked residents to avoid outdoor physical activity, saying the situation is expected to continue for the rest of the week.

The orange veil enveloping several major Canadian cities has spread for hundreds of kilometers, crossing the border with the United States and reaching New York. The famous view of the skyscrapers of Manhattan was thus difficult to observe on Monday, with an equally poor air quality.