People play basketball at a playground in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood as smoke from Canadian wildfires creates hazy conditions in New York City on July 16, 2026. Out-of-control wildfires were raging July 16 in the Canadian province of Ontario, prompting evacuations and sending dangerous smoke billowing into the United States where millions of people were exposed to the unhealthy air. US states near the Canadian border including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois were particularly choked, as forecasters predicted the Northeast including New York would also see air quality continue to deteriorate. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)