Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: CELAL GUNES / ANADOLU AGENCY / ANADOLU AGENCY VIA AFP 22:41 p.m., June 07, 2023

On Wednesday, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and because of smoke caused by fires in Canada, more than 100 million Americans were affected by air quality alerts. Cities like New York and Washington were on red alert, a level at which the general population can feel effects on their health.

More than 100 million Americans were affected Wednesday by air quality alerts because of smoke caused by fires in Canada, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told AFP. These alerts cover most of the northeastern United States, from Chicago in the north to Atlanta in the south. Air quality in this area "is primarily impacted by Canadian fires, although other local pollution emissions and weather may also play a role," the EPA said.

New York and Washington on red alert

The populations concerned are under an "orange" alert, corresponding to a possible impact on the health of fragile people (the elderly, asthmatics, children ...), or an alert of a higher level. Many major cities, such as New York and Washington, were on Wednesday under a red alert, a level at which the general population can also feel effects on their health, effects then aggravated for fragile people.

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The EPA is the agency responsible for monitoring air quality in the United States, and uses an index ranging from zero to 500. Between 0 and 50, air quality is considered good. The orange alert corresponds to a level above 100.