Air Quality Alert remains in effect in Rhode Island as Canadian wildfires continue to blanket East Coast

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — An Air Quality Alert remains in effect Thursday in Rhode Island as smoke from the Canadian wildfires continue to blanket the East Coast.

The alerts, issued by the Department of Environmental Management, have been in place for three days now, as significant smoke from the Quebec wildfires travel through the Ocean State.

In other part of the U.S., like New York where skies turned orange, visibility plummeted and the Air Quality Index rose to nearly 500.

The smoke from the wildfires are expected to keep affecting cities further down along the East Coast. In Rhode Island, those impacts are still being felt — as a foggy haze covered skylines in Providence.

As the Air Quality Alert remains in effect, the Department of Health recommended residents who may be sensitive to these particles to stay indoors with windows closed. Anyone outside should wear an N95 mask to reduce exposure and limit the amount of time spent outdoors.