New York City is facing compounded weather risks this week as intense heat and wildfire smoke pose health risks to the most populous city in the U.S. 

The residents of New York City were among the more than 132 million people in the country experiencing what the National Weather Service calls a "major HeatRisk," level 3 out of 4. The NWS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created the experimental HeatRisk tool to help assess possible health risks tied to extreme heat and humidity.

A heat advisory is in effect for the city through Wednesday evening as torrid temperatures and high humidity are expected to make it feel like the upper 90s to lower 100s at times, but the concerns rose even higher for those in the Greater New York City area and broader Northeast with low air quality from wildfire smoke. 

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center reports 3,515 wildfires have charred more than 15 million acres so far this year. The area of the country that has been burned is larger than the combined areas of Maryland and Hawaiʻi. 

Canada is currently battling nearly 600 active fires. The jet stream, the strongest winds aloft that steer weather systems, is directing smoke from fires in both central Canada and the Rockies in the U.S. toward the Northeast. 

Air quality in New York City has improved slightly since Sunday, following a weekend marked by hazy skies and poor air quality. The city's air quality was in the moderate range on Monday. "If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors," advises the Environmental Protection Agency.

"While it may improve a little bit later on today or tonight, I think the air quality could go back down again beginning Tuesday and perhaps into Wednesday," Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told The New York Post. "The big thing is if you've got health issues that could be affected by the poor air quality, like asthma or other respiratory issues, then definitely take it easy."

AccuWeather projects the city's air quality will deteriorate into the unhealthy category on Tuesday. The private weather forecasting company headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania, uses Plume Labs, a Paris-based environmental technology company, for its air quality forecasts. 

"The air has reached a very high level of pollution," when the air quality reaches the unhealthy category, according to Plume Labs. "Effects can be immediately felt by individuals at risk. Everybody feels the effects of a prolonged exposure."

Officials said seniors are at a particularly high risk, especially given the high heat. 

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"Seniors and those with chronic health problems or mental health conditions are at an increased risk," warns the heat advisory issued by the New York City National Weather Service Office. "Homes without air conditioning can be much hotter than outdoor temperatures."

Our overheating planet is playing a major role in intensifying wildfires, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. The smoke from those wildfires creates several serious adverse health effects. 

"Every year, millions of acres of land are consumed by fire in the United States," according to UCS. "... By raising temperatures, melting snow sooner, and drying soils and forests, climate change is fueling the problem."

UCS also reported that wildfires are becoming more common. 

"Since 2015, the United States has experienced, on average, roughly 100 more large wildfires every year than the year before," according to a 2022 update from the group. "This changes region by region, and year to year, but generally we're seeing more wildfires, more acres burned, and longer, more intense fire seasons."

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