WNBA, NWSL postpone games as wildfire smoke contaminates New York air

The air in New York has been contaminated with smoke due to wildfires in Canada. Images from the city circulated the internet that showed the sky shrouded in an orange haze.

The WNBA and NWSL canceled events Wednesday as the air quality was deemed unfit to play. The National Weather Service issued an Air Quality Alert on Wednesday afternoon, to be in effect until midnight ET Thursday, because the Air Quality Index was expected to remain at levels over 100 throughout the day. The warning advised residents of various New York counties to "consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects" and told at-risk individuals to be cautious.

The New York Liberty postponed their Wednesday game against the Minnesota Lynx, even though the team plays indoors at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The team said the game will be rescheduled for a not-yet-determined later date and that tickets will be honored.

"This decision has been made to protect the health and safety of our fans, teams and community," the Liberty said in a statement.

The NWSL also postponed the Challenge Cup match between Gotham FC and the Orlando Pride, which was set to be played at Gotham FC's Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The air quality was 142, considered "unhealthy" at the time of publication. The game is rescheduled for Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"The safety of our players, officials and fans is our top priority," the league said in a statement. "Following consultation with the NWSL Medical and Operations staff, it was determined that the match could not be safely conducted based on the projected air quality index."

Elsewhere, the MLB postponed the New York Yankees-Chicago White Sox game, which was to be held at Yankee Stadium, and the Philadelphia Phillies-Detroit Tigers game, which was set for Citizens Bank Park.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA, NWSL postpone games as wildfire smoke contaminates New York air