Landscaping In Poor Air Quality

Smoke-filled skies from distant wildfires can affect outdoor employee health. Here's what to do.

air quality
Unfiltered photo in Bernardsville, NJ on June 7. Photo: Chris D’Amato.
air quality
Screenshot taken June 8 of the Fire & Smoke map on AirNow.gov which monitors air quality.

For the past several days, New York City, New Jersey, and surrounding areas in the Northeast have been experiencing apocalyptic orange-colored skies, a horribly acrid smell outdoors, and air quality indexes ranging from unhealthy to hazardous. And it’s all due to the Canadian wildfires, hundreds of miles away. Homes are shuttered, sidewalks are empty, masks are back on, outdoor events are canceled, and the news has been filled with warnings.

For those of us on the East coast it’s been a wake up call for what some areas of California seem to experience every wildfire season. It’s also been a highly dramatic reminder of the vulnerability and inter-connectedness of the environment.

While the current situation should subside somewhat in the Northeast on Friday, unhealthy air quality events raise issues for outdoor workers such as lawn and landscape professionals.

Potential Effects

air quality
Asbury Park, NJ on June 7. Photo: Jim Norton
air quality
Hazy skies in mid-town NYC. Photo: Eric Ventura
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