Canada Wildfires Result in Major League Sporting Event Cancellations Due to Poor Air Quality

Reports reveal New York City experienced the highest pollution level in the world on June 6

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Amid the devastating wildfires in Canada, sporting leagues across the East Coast have taken action to keep people safe.

Due to the smoke caused by the fires continuing to impact the air quality across the United States, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that the New York Yankees game against the Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers match have both been rescheduled for Thursday.

Related: All About the 2023 Central Canada Wildfires Affecting Parts of the United States

The WNBA was also impacted, as the league announced on Wednesday afternoon on Twitter that a game scheduled between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center has been postponed.

While a new date for the game has not been announced, the WNBA stressed that the change came “due to the air quality issues impacting the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the greater New York area following the wildfires in Canada.”

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) made its own precautionary decision by announcing that a match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Orlando Pride, originally scheduled for Wednesday, has been rescheduled for August 9.

“The safety of our players, officials, and fans is our top priority,” the NWSL wrote in an announcement on Twitter. “Following consultation with the NWSL Medical and Operations staff, it was determined that the match could not be safely conducted based on the projected air quality index.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul spoke out about the impact of the wildfires in a press release on Tuesday, sharing that the “hazy skies caused by wildfire smoke were hard to miss.”

Related: New York City Recorded World’s Worst Air Pollution on Tuesday Thanks to Canada Wildfires Smoke

“New York State experts are monitoring our air quality every day to ensure New Yorkers have the latest information about current air quality in their communities and what they can do to protect themselves,” she continued. “I encourage New Yorkers, especially those sensitive to air quality, to take appropriate steps to help limit the risk of exposure.”

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Being that New York City experienced the highest pollution level in the world on June 6, Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald also recommended that “New Yorkers limit strenuous outdoor activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.”

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“People who are especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants, including the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as heart disease or asthma, should avoid spending time outdoors, if possible,” he shared in a statement on the release. “Those who experience symptoms or have symptoms that worsen should consider consulting their personal physician.”

Based on official data, Reuters reported more than 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) burned so far this year.

According to officials, Canada is currently “on course for its worst-ever wildfire season on record.”

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