Local Air Quality Impacted
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2026 | Contact: Beth Cefalu, Director of Strategic Communications (845) 638-5645 |
NEW CITY, NY, – The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) is urging residents to take precautions to protect their health due to wildfire smoke from parts of Canada and Northern Minnesota, which continues to impact air quality across the region.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Department of Health have issued a statewide Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday, July 16, 2026, due to high levels of fine particle pollution in the air.
These tiny particles, called PM2.5, come from smoke, dust, dirt, soot, and liquid droplets. Because they are so small, they can travel deep into the lungs and cause health problems such as coughing, sneezing, eye, nose, throat, or lung irritation, or shortness of breath.
“Wildfire smoke contains fine particles that can affect everyone’s health, but the greatest risk is for older adults, young children, pregnant individuals, and people with heart or lung disease,” said Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Leahy.
“While we cannot control the smoke, we can take steps to protect ourselves and our families,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day. “We encourage residents to limit outdoor activities today and check in on neighbors, seniors, and anyone with underlying health conditions.”
Residents are encouraged to:
- Limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities when smoke is present.
- Keep windows and doors closed whenever possible.
- Run air conditioning on the recirculation setting if available.
- Use air purifiers or filters if available.
- Wear a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask outdoors if extended exposure to smoky conditions is unavoidable.
- Stay hydrated and seek medical attention if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, severe coughing, or worsening respiratory symptoms.
AQI forecasts are issued by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The AQI is a color-coded system developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The worse the air quality, the greater the personal health risk and the increased need to take precautions. Visit airnow.gov regularly to find out the current AQI where you live and to learn more about precautions you should take.