Published on
17/07/2026 - 10:46 GMT+2
New York woke up on Thursday to a sky turned orange. It is not the first time this has happened – it already occurred in 2023 – but the timing makes it a major story: in less than 72 hours, Spain and Argentina will face off at MetLife Stadium for the 2026 World Cup title, and smoke from forest fires in Ontario has decided to put in an unwelcome appearance.
The phenomenon has a clear origin. Canada is currently battling several hundred active fires, many of them out of control, and air currents have pushed that smoke south-east, covering much of the north-east of the United States from the Great Lakes to New Jersey itself. Adding to the situation is a heat dome which, instead of dispersing the particles, keeps them trapped close to the ground.
Alerts, masks and a roofless stadium
