Canadian wildfire smoke enters New York. See maps

Medium-density wildfire smoke from Canadian wildfires has entered the Northeast, causing slight impacts to surface air quality. As wildfires spring up all along the Western United States and northern reaches of Canada, what impacts can New York expect?

Where can I check air quality on smoky days?

The arrival of hazy or milky-looking skies over the region was mentioned by the National Weather Service in Buffalo on Sept. 12, though no impact to surface air quality was expected. And while air quality did edge into the moderate rating, the values in the low-to-mid 50s were just over the threshold from the good tier (50).

Curious about the Air Quality Index on any given day? This always up-to-date map from USA TODAY maps out air quality for the country.

Where could wildfires occur this fall?

September has the potential to be an active month for wildfires, with large swathes of the country facing above normal potential. Regions in the above-normal range include California, western regions of Arizona, southern Montana, northern Wyoming, southern Idaho, northern Nevada, northwest Utah, lower Mississippi Valley and upper Ohio Valley.

Much of the smoke plumes from western states doesn’t make its way into the eastern United States, but wildfire smoke from Canada frequently does, as occurred last summer and this July.

How toxic wildfire smoke affects your health

Breathing the toxic smoke can cause a series of problems, from minor irritations to serious concerns, including cardiovascular- and respiratory-related effects.  According to Yale Medicine, the PM 2.5 particles are so small they can pass the usual defense mechanisms of the upper airway and penetrate deep into the lungs where they can impair function. The particles can also pass into the bloodstream and travel to other organs. Exposure has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and a decline in cognitive function.

— This story contains reporting from USA Today reporters Ramon Padilla, Yoonserk Pyun, Cecilia Garzella and Karina Zaiets.

— Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canadian wildfire smoke enters New York. See maps