New York shrouded in smoke from western US wildfires

New York’s skyline is shrouded in smoke from wildfires raging several thousand miles away in the US west.

The city, along with other places on the east coast such as Washington DC and Philadelphia, has seen hazy skies and plunging air quality due to clouds of smoke, soot and ash that have blown over from more than 80 major wildfires burning in western states. New York’s air quality index soared above the mark where health is said to be threatened on Thursday.

“The air is unhealthy. It’s noticeably harder to breathe,” one passerby tells broadcaster France 24.