The Big Apple turns orange

Wildfires in Quebec, Canada caused serious air pollution in the US last week. Over 100 million people were warned about air quality, as winds blew the smoke towards the south. The cities of New YWork, Chicago and Washington DC were hidden in a cloud of orange smoke. As far down as Atlanta, Georgia, the smoke blocked out the sun and well-known tourist sights.

Local Jack Wright wasn't used to seeing his city, New York, like this.

Jack Wright: "You can't even see the Statue of Liberty today and usually it's bright and clear."

And for tourists like Nicha, from Thailand, the situation was a big disappointment.

Nicha Suaittiyanon: "I'm trying to like get lots of pictures as much as I can, but as you can see, when I took pictures I cannot see like the building even. I can't even see like the bridge in the pictures."

The Environmental Protection Agency gave a 'Code Red' warning, which meant the poor air quality was serious. The smoke and tiny particles of dust in the air can have a bad effect on people's breathing. For people who suffer from asthma or lung diseases, they're at greater risk of becoming sick.

Jack Wright has already developed a cough from the air pollution. According to him, it's like his old smoker's cough.

Jack Wright: "It's generated a kind of a cough all day long. I haven't, I quit smoking 50 years ago, but it's kind of a cough that I would have when I smoked."

Meanwhile, others like Charmaine Franco chose to wear masks outdoors.

Charmaine Franco: "You know, it's a bit cloudy, makes my eyes water, you know. As I had to bring her out today, you know, we had to make sure to keep our masks on because of the air quality, to make sure that, you know, we are okay. But you can't stay out here for too long, but you have to do what you have to do, so you have to get back inside."

As the orange smoke started to disappear, the smell hung around. Tourist Nicha found the smell and her uncomfortable eyes more irritating than New Yorker Pamela Roderick.

Nicha Suaittiyanon: "I smell kind of like someone's like doing barbecue or like all the time and then my eyes got watery and like itchy all the time yesterday, so the all, the whole evening was, for me, kind of like smoking, like smelling smoking and then my eyes are itchy."

Pamela Roderick: "So no, it doesn't bother me. I mean, you know, New York often smells kind of strange." Weniger anzeigen