New York City is under an air quality advisory for Thursday, April 24, due to smoke expected to drift over the city from a wildfire burning in southern New Jersey.
City officials said the air quality index (AQI) is forecast to reach between 101 and 150, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including young children, older adults, and individuals with heart or respiratory conditions.
The air quality health advisory will be in place from midnight tonight to midnight on Thursday for the NYC Metro and Long Island regions.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the wildfire in Ocean County had burned through approximately 12,500 acres since igniting on Tuesday. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported the fire was 40% contained, while the cause remains under investigation.
With winds expected to blow smoke towards the Big Apple, the NYC Health Department urges those in vulnerable categories to avoid strenuous or prolonged outdoor activity on Thursday. Officials added that risks to healthy individuals remain low.
“Wildfire smoke could drift into New York City tonight, though the timing and specific areas affected remain uncertain,” the city’s Office of Emergency Management said Wednesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “NYC Emergency Management is actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with the city’s official forecasting partner.”
The agency added it is working closely with the state DEC and will continue to assess conditions, activate response measures as necessary, and provide updates to ensure New Yorkers stay informed.
Separately in response to growing concerns over emergency preparedness, Mayor Eric Adams and NYCEM Commissioner Zach Iscol on Wednesday announced a new, simplified way for residents to sign up for Notify NYC — the city’s official emergency alert system.
New Yorkers can now subscribe to citywide and neighborhood-specific emergency text alerts by texting “NOTIFYNYC” to 692-692. For the first time, users can receive hyperlocal updates by providing their ZIP code, eliminating the need to create an account or download the Notify NYC app.
“By upgrading Notify NYC to more easily push out citywide alerts and now sending zip code-specific alerts, we’re ensuring residents receive both broad and localized updates, all through one simple text subscription,” Adams said in a statement.
The Notify NYC service delivers information on traffic disruptions, transit service changes, power outages, school closures, weather emergencies, and other incidents. The city said alerts can be tailored to multiple locations, such as workplaces or schools, and residents can manage or opt out of subscriptions using simple text commands.
The National Weather Service also runs a toll free air quality hotline – 1 800 5 3 5 1 3 4 5 – for New York residents to stay up to date on the developing air quality situation.
