Canadian wildfire smoke turned parts of Pittsburgh into a hazard zone last week, and local health experts say the city experienced “the perfect storm.” Thick haze from hundreds of fires in Canada drifted south into Pennsylvania, combining with high heat and humidity to push air quality into the “very unhealthy” range and trigger Code Red alerts.
For pulmonologist Dr. Tariq Cheema, of Allegheny Health Network and Allegheny General Hospital, the impact was immediate in his practice.
Cheema said even healthy Pittsburghers felt the effects of the smoke once they stepped outside. “For the regular population going outside, it was tough,” he said. “It was irritating to the eyes. People were developing sore throats and difficulty breathing.”…