Canadian wildfires drive NYC asthma ER visits up 31% as heat wave intensifies haze

Recent Canadian wildfires have produced massive smoke plumes that have drifted into the United States, degrading air quality across many cities.

In New York City, emergency department visits for asthma worsened sharply, rising about 31% by the end of the first day of exposure.

The surge coincided with a second major heat wave, highlighting how extreme weather, fossil-fuel emissions, and climate change interact to amplify health risks.

The authors note that the 20th-century battle against urban smog offers policy lessons for managing today’s wildfire smoke, urging proactive public-health measures.