Smoke from huge fires in Canada it covered entire areas in the northeast USA and the authorities urged vulnerable groups of citizens to avoid open spaces.

Thus, hundreds of fire fronts in the western provinces as far as Quebec are felt until NY and New England. US authorities have issued air quality warnings as smoke and reduced visibility are also seen on the Great Lakes, from Cleveland to Buffalo.

The US Environmental Protection Agency said the effects are likely to last for several days.

The fires in the Quebec area are large and are located about 800-970 kilometers from Rhode Island. Fires in Nova Scotia followed, resulting in an air quality alert on May 30.

Jay Engle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based in Upton, Long Island, explained that the winds that brought the smoke to New York are likely to continue in the same direction for the next few days.

Air quality warnings include a particulate matter known as “PM 2.5” that irritates the respiratory system.

White House: ‘Worrying example’ of climate change impacts

The White House said in a statement “another troubling sign of how the climate crisis is affecting our lives.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Joe Biden was briefed on the development of the fires and urged vulnerable Americans to “take precautions” due to air pollution.

At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it was delaying or even suspending flights in the New York area due to limited visibility.

The FAA said flights from the Midwest and East Coast north to New York LaGuardia International Airport have been suspended and flights to Newark Liberty International Airport are being delayed.