New York smoke: Hundreds of flights delayed as warning issued over wildfire haze over city

Travellers have been warned to expect flight delays of up to two hours at New York’s LaGuardia airport and nearby Newark International by The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Wildfire smoke which has drifted over from Canada has caused around 800 flight delays into New York since the early hours of this morning, according to Flight Aware.

Flights at airports from Atlanta to Houston and inbound flights to Philadelphia’s main airport were also affected. Millions of people in New York and Canada are currently under air quality alerts due to the intense smoke.

New York City’s LaGuardia airport told passengers: "Weather conditions have caused LGA Airport flight disruptions. Check with your airline to determine the status of your flight."

The New York city skyline and east river shrouded in smoke in Brooklyn as smoke from the hundreds of wildfires blazing in eastern Canada drifted south (Photo: Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Around 400 wildfires are currently raging across Canada, with firefighters struggling to control the issue. At a news conference on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more than 20,000 people have evacuated their homes.