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‘You can taste the smoke’: New Yorkers on air quality as fires burn across Canada

July 17, 2026

Smoke from over 800 active wildfires burning throughout Canada has severely degraded air quality in New York City and multiple other US states, with conditions officially categorized as unhealthy. BBC reporter Nada Tawfik interviewed New York City residents about their experiences with the poor air quality, with some describing being able to actually taste the smoke in the air. The deteriorating atmospheric conditions have raised concerns about potential impacts on an upcoming World Cup final scheduled to occur at a stadium in New York/New Jersey.

Who is affected

  • New Yorkers/New York City residents
  • People across multiple US states (where air quality alerts have been issued)
  • Potential attendees and participants of the World Cup final in New York/New Jersey stadium

What action is being taken

  • The BBC's Nada Tawfik is speaking to people in New York City about the air quality
  • More than 800 wildfires are burning across Canada

Why it matters

  • The article demonstrates how major wildfires can have cross-border environmental impacts, with smoke from Canadian fires creating unhealthy air quality conditions in US population centers. The situation affects daily life for residents and raises concerns about major public events like the World Cup final.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC

‘You can taste the smoke’: New Yorkers on air quality as fires burn across Canada