New York City residents should brace themselves for the return of a dense, orange hazy blanket of smoke from Canadian wildfires this summer, according to climate experts. Last year, Canada experienced its worst fire season on record, with a staggering 45.5 million acres burned, equivalent to the size of North Dakota. The smoke from these fires reached New York City, shrouding the metropolis for several days in June, one day in July, and again in October.

During the June smoke crisis, New Yorkers endured the worst air quality in recent memory, as the pollution from particulate matter skyrocketed. The severe air pollution led to a devastating increase of over 40% in emergency room visits for asthma-related illnesses per day. Unfortunately, experts predict that these choking fumes will not be a one-time event and will become more frequent in the future due to the effects of climate change.

Mark Wysocki, a retired Cornell University professor who served as the New York State climatologist for decades, emphasized that the presence of Canadian wildfire smoke has now become a new norm. "We're going to have to have an attitude adjustment here," Wysocki said. "We're going to have to start dealing with the fact that we're going to have air quality alerts more often."

The situation in Canada is concerning, as much of the country is currently classified as experiencing drought conditions. Additionally, last winter was recorded as the warmest on record in the Great White North, further exacerbating the risk of wildfires. Many of the fires from last year are still burning, leading experts in Canada to anticipate another long and destructive fire season.

According to Mike Flannigan, an emergency management and fire science scholar at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, the escalating temperatures are resulting in a greater presence of lightning, while the atmosphere becomes more efficient at drying out dead vegetation on the forest floor. These factors contribute to the intensification of fires, making it difficult to extinguish them. Flannigan noted that last year's Canadian blazes were two and a half times worse than usual.

As the northern part of the Midwest has already experienced poor air quality due to ongoing Canadian wildfires, concerns are growing for the Eastern U.S. Loretta Mickley, a senior research fellow at Harvard University, issued a warning about the increasing frequency of large smoke events. She pointed out that the overall fire activity in Quebec is projected to double by 2050, posing a greater risk to the Eastern U.S.

While the recent wet spring in Canada may offer some respite, there is uncertainty as to its impact on the upcoming wildfire season. Mickley cautioned that the spring rains could promote vegetation growth, which could later dry out and provide fuel for more intense fires.

The implications of these wildfires and the subsequent smoke events are alarming for New York City and surrounding areas. As climate change continues to exacerbate these natural disasters, it is imperative for authorities and residents to prepare for more frequent air quality alerts. With predictions of a dry summer in Canada and the growing risk of intense fires, efforts to mitigate the impacts of these events on public health and environment should be a top priority.

Note: This news article is generated based on the information provided by the user and may not be an accurate representation of current events.