[News Terms] Washington, US Issues 'Code Purple' Due to Canadian Wildfires

'Code Purple' is one of the alerts issued by U.S. authorities based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

On the 7th (local time), Manhattan viewed from the Queens area in New York, USA, is covered in smoke.

The EPA announces the Air Quality Index (AQI) according to the concentration of pollutants such as fine dust. The AQI quantifies air quality on a scale from 0 to 500 and divides it into six levels: 'green → yellow → orange → red → purple → maroon.'

Due to the worst wildfires occurring in Canada, air quality on the U.S. East Coast has deteriorated extremely, prompting Washington DC to issue a Code Purple (purple) alert. This raised the alert level by one step from the previous day's Code Red (red) warning. This is the first time Washington has issued a Code Purple alert due to fine dust.

Code Purple is an alert issued when the AQI is between 210 and 300. The alert signals a condition that is very harmful to everyone's health regardless of age or respiratory disease status. Once a Code Purple alert is issued, all people should stay indoors as much as possible. If outdoor work is unavoidable, wearing a high-quality N95 mask is recommended.

In the case of New York City, the situation improved compared to the previous day as fine dust moved southward. The city had recorded the highest fine dust concentration in 24 years the day before.

President Joe Biden stated in a press release that "millions of Americans are affected by smoke from wildfires in Canada," and that "this starkly reminds us of the impacts of climate change." He also announced that he had instructed rapid support measures, including dispatching additional firefighters and deploying firefighting helicopters.

Meanwhile, in Canada, wildfires that started last month mainly in the eastern Quebec province have spread to hundreds of locations. During this process, smoke drifted into the U.S. East Coast, causing significant damage in places such as New York and Washington.