FCDO issues travel warning for east coast of USA

The UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel guidance for those heading to the US, particularly the east coast of the country.

Canada is experiencing a significant number of wildfires, reported to have escalated because of a thunderstorm in early June. The smoke caused by the fires has drifted south, leading to poor air quality and visibility across the US east coast.

Air quality is so bad in New York that officials are distributing one million masks to residents across the city, with conditions expected to carry on over the weekend, reported the BBC.

The FCDO updated its travel advice on 8 June stating: “Smoke from wildfires in Canada is currently causing poor air quality across parts of the East Coast of the USA. You should check AirNow.gov for updates on the current air quality in your location and follow the advice given by the US authorities, including wearing a face mask to protect yourself.

“Air travel may also be disrupted. You should check the status of your flight with your airline before travelling.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is constantly updating passengers via Twitter on the status of flights at airports across the region. It tweeted yesterday (8 June) that ‘reduced visibility from wildfire smoke will continue to impact air travel today’.