N.J. wildfire smoke causes poor air quality for Long Island, entire New York City region

The air quality on Long Island and in New York City, which temporarily moved into unhealthy status because of the New Jersey wildfire, has been upgraded to moderate for Friday, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

On Wednesday, the DEC issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for 24 hours, saying it could be unhealthful for sensitive groups — such as people with asthma, heart conditions, infants and the elderly.

By early afternoon Thursday, the air quality was generally rated moderate in the area with only some spots in the city deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, said Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton. They had received reports of people smelling smoke in the city.

He said the air quality was better on the more eastern parts of Suffolk County.

The air pollution of concern this week is particulate matter from the wildfire which is a "mixture of solid particle and liquid droplets" that can include dust, dirt, soot or smoke, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Exposure to particulate matter can "cause short-term health effects, such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath," according to the DEC. 

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported on its Facebook page on Thursday evening that the wildfire, located in Ocean County, was 15,250 acres and 50% contained.

"Depending on how much of the fire is still burning, smoke could move over the city and potentially Long Island tomorrow if these south west winds develop tonight," said Ciemnecki.

The cause of the fire, which started Tuesday, was an improperly extinguished bonfire, according to New Jersey officials. A 19-year-old man from Ocean County was arrested on Wednesday on arson charges.

Air pollution can impact several vulnerable groups including people with respiratory problems, people with compromised immune systems and smokers as well as young children and the elderly, said Dr. Sharad Chandrika, director of interventional pulmonology at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.

 "Avoidance is the best way of staying healthy," she said. "If we know the atmosphere is particularly bad then don’t go out as much that day. And stay away from the areas where the particulate matter should be very high."

Air quality could also be poor in Rockland and Westchester counties.

The wildfire has forced the evacuation of thousands of people, as well as the closure of a stretch of the Garden State Parkway.

The air now in the New York City-Long Island region isn't as bad as it was in June 2023, when plumes from Canadian wildfires hundreds of miles away came down to the United States.