The Statue of Liberty stands during sunset as smoke from wildfires blankets the sky, Thursday, July 16, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Much of the Midwest and East Coast has been blanketed in smoke the past few days. The source of the smoky conditions and dangerously bad air quality is wildfires in Canada and parts of the upper Great Plains of the United States. The FIFA World Cup finals match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in the New York City and New Jersey area. Will the compelling match between Spain and Argentina be hampered by the smoke?
Air quality across the Midwest and Northeast on the morning of July 17, 2026. Wildfires in Canada and the upper Great Plains is the source of much of the smoke.
Current Conditions
At the time of writing Friday morning, much of the Northeast and Midwest was still dealing with air quality indices ranging in the unhealthy to hazardous range because of the smoke. At 3 am Friday morning, New York City was in the unhealthy range, which means many people are susceptible to potential health effects. Vulnerable groups and people with respiratory health issues could experience more serious health impacts.
