The hazardous smog sweeping down from the Canadian wildfires has continued to wreak havoc on Thursday for millions of people on the East Coast.
Schools, theatres, libraries, flights and sports games have been called off or canceled amid the high-alert air quality issues.
New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia are being choked by bad air quality which ranks worse than the most polluted cities in the world such as Lahore, Pakistan and Delhi, India.
Here is a list of events canceled and institutions closed across multiple Northeastern states because of the orange haze.
People try to visit the Central Park Zoo as smoke from Canadian wildfires casts a haze over the area on June 7, 2023. The Zoo is closed today
NYC has been hit with the smoke – which has lingered in the city for multiple days
New York State
The New York City Public Library will have a delayed opening at 11am today because of the smoky conditions in the city.
They wrote in a tweet: ‘After closing early on 6/7 due to poor air quality conditions for the safety of the public and our staff, NYPL locations will open at 11 AM today.’
Four of New York City’s zoos – Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo – will all be closed on Thursday ‘for the safety of our staff, visitors, and animals.’
The New York Aquarium will also be closed on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Broadway productions of Hamilton and Camelot were canceled.
Free Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Hamlet was also canceled.
The Public Theater canceled the final dress rehearsal for Hamlet – which means that its first two previews of the play, Thursday and Friday, have been canceled.
And on Wednesday, Broadway star Jodie Comer, who is currently acting in Prima Facie, was forced to cancel her matinee performance after struggling to breathe on stage.
Professional sports games were also canceled on Wednesday – including the Yankees versus the Chicago White Sox. It’s unclear if MLB games will go ahead on Thursday. Pictured: Yankee Stadium
A map of the impact the wildfire smoke has had upon air quality levels across the East Coast. Purple sections are deemed ‘hazardous’, red is ‘unhealthy’, orange is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, and yellow is ‘moderate’
New York City also announced alternate side parking rules would be suspended on Thursday.
And professional sports games were also canceled on Wednesday – including the Yankees versus the Chicago White Sox. It’s unclear if MLB games will go ahead on Thursday.
LaGuardia Airport issued a ground stop on Thursday morning because of the hazardous conditions.
In New York City, public schools had all outdoor activities canceled on Wednesday.
Thursday is a regularly-scheduled non-attendance day for students – allotted for staff development – so children would not have been at school anyway.
But the NYC Department of Education announced that Thursday will be a remote-work day for staff because of the air conditions.
In Upstate New York, the Baldwinsville Community Band canceled their rehearsals because of the smoke – while the Minoa Free Library was forced to shut because the haze was lingering indoors.
People sit on a bench during bad air quality as smoke of Canadian wildfires brought in by wind in New York, United States
A view of the hazy city on June 7
In the School District of Albany, all physical education classes were ordered to remain inside on Thursday.
All outdoor field trips were postponed and rescheduled across the city’s schools.
In Ithaca, the City School District tweeted on Thursday morning: ‘Air quality levels remain unhealthy. The ICSD will be open and will implement ‘cold weather’ bus procedures and move all activities indoors.
‘We will continue to monitor and provide updates throughout the day.’
And in Syracuse, all outdoor activities at schools, including sports, recess and field trips, have been canceled on Thursday out of caution.
The City Schools District tweeted: ‘Recent reports relating to the air quality in CNY indicate that tomorrow (6/8) we should see an improvement in air quality. Out of an abundance of caution, we are still going to cancel all outdoor activities incl. sports, recess, field trips, after school & evening activities.’
Universities have mandated that classes will be online while the smog lingers.
Molloy College and Adelphi University in Long Island have opted to go remote.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, some school districts dismissed students several hours early and also canceled outdoor activities yesterday.
Clifton School District canceled afterschool activities and put air purifiers in classrooms on Wednesday.
High Point School District dismissed kids early, and canceled high school pep rallies and football games. In Wayne and New Milford Districts, afterschool activities were canceled.
Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo announced Thursday that many of the animals will be off exhibit due to the air quality concerns. The Zoo was closed on Wednesday amid the smoke (pictured)
A person jogs through the haze in New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline behind
All schools in Elizabeth, Irvington, Newark, Orange and Union Districts were canceled on Thursday.
Students at schools in Clifton, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover Township, Manchester Regional High School, Montclair, Wallington, Wayne, West Milford and West Orange will be dismissed early for the second day in a row on Thursday.
Meanwhile college students at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kean University, and Stevens Institute will undertake remote learning on Thursday.
In New Jersey, students at Wayne Public Schools will go home early on Thursday and follow a ‘minimal day schedule’ because of the air.
And Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo announced Thursday that many of the animals will be off exhibit due to the air quality concerns.
All flights bound for Newark Liberty International Airport have also been delayed on Thursday.
Washington DC
In Washington DC, The National Zoo closed its doors on Thursday because of the poor air quality.
Schools across the city also moved their recess indoors, reports NBC.
Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Fairfax County, and DC Public Schools all canceled outdoor activities on Thursday.
Major League Baseball games in New York and Philadelphia were canceled on Wednesday. The Yankees match with the Chicago White Sox was postponed.
Philadelphia Phillies’ game against the visiting Detroit Tigers was postponed for Thursday – but it is still unclear if it will go ahead tonight.
In Washington DC, a code purple was alerted on Thursday morning, signaling that the air quality is very unhealthy.
The DC Homeland Security said people should stay indoors as much as possible.
The sun rises over the US Capitol through a blanket of haze in Washington, DC on June 8, 2023
The U.S. Capitol is barely seen at the national mall as a thick layer of smoke covers the capital
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia School District told students on Thursday to remain inside, cancel field trips and keep windows closed because of the ordeal.
They also told teachers to encourage their students to wear masks.
The District said in an update on Thursday morning: ‘Students are encouraged to wear masks during the commute to and from school.
‘At schools, outside activities such as recess, outside field trips and field days will be moved indoors if possible, postponed or canceled.
‘The District’s Athletics Office will support schools in rescheduling outdoor athletic games that were previously scheduled.
A Detroit Tigers’ player walks through the outfield at Citizens Bank Park after poor air quality postponed a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers
A Southwest airliner approaches LaGuardia Airport in New York
‘In addition, all windows and doors at school buildings will remain closed to minimize air pollution. According to the forecasts for the rest of the week, temperatures are not expected to exceed 78°F.
‘Though warm, indoor temperatures should not reach levels that would warrant early dismissal.’
All inbound flights to Philadelphia International Airport were being held in the air on Thursday morning ‘due to low visibility.’
Flights have been paused from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Ohio bound for the Philly airport, FAA said.
Philadelphia Zoo has closed their doors for the entirety of Thursday because of the air quality concerns.
A person cycles past the skyline in Philadelphia shrouded in haze on June 8, 2023
Connecticut
Connecticut Inter-Scholastic Athletic Conference postponed its tennis and lacrosse games on Wednesday because of the smoke.
Officials feared that the high-intensity high school games would impact the players’ health.
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo will still be open on Thursday.
