New York leaves Delhi behind in tally of world's worst air pollution after the Canada wildfires rage

Digital Desk: IQAir website data reveals New York ranked the most polluted city in the world on Tuesday night, as pollution from Canadian wildfires shrouded the city with smoke clouds.

According to the Swiss air quality firm, pollution levels in the city were in the "unhealthy" range and were higher than those in the Indian capital Delhi and Baghdad at 1:25 a.m. as per New York timings. Other North American cities were also hit by smoke from the extraordinary wildfires, with Detroit suffering the worst.

In a statement made Tuesday night, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that an Air Quality Health Advisory had been issued for all five boroughs and that while conditions were expected to improve until Wednesday morning, they were projected to worsen later in the day.

"We are taking precautions out of an abundance of caution to protect New Yorkers' health until we can get a better sense of future air quality reports," Adams said. "We recommend that all New Yorkers limit their outdoor activity to the greatest extent possible."

At 01:05 a.m., the US Air Quality Index for New York was 222 on a 0-500 scale, putting the air in the "very unhealthy" category.

If the current rate of wildfire persists, Canada will experience its worst wildfire season in history. According to government officials, nearly 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) have been burnt so far. Reportedly, Fire is now blazing, forcing 26,000 Canadians to flee from their homes.