New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning residents to be on guard for price gouging of essential goods like masks, air purifiers, and air filters as the air quality worsens from Canadian wildfires.
James issued a consumer alert Wednesday, warning New Yorkers to be vigilant and to watch out for companies taking advantage of consumers by selling essential goods and services at an "excessively higher price during market disruptions or emergencies."
"The poor air quality impacting our state should not be an excuse for companies to increase profits on essential items," Attorney General James said in a statement.
"My office has zero tolerance for price gouging of any kind, and if New Yorkers notice abnormally high prices for essential items, I urge them to report it immediately. I also urge New Yorkers to follow local health guidance to protect their health and stay safe."
New York State’s price gouging statute covers state vendors, retailers, and suppliers, and includes essential goods and services like food, water, gasoline, generators, batteries, flashlights, hotel lodging, and transportation options, according to the Attorney General’s office.
New Yorkers were advised to stay indoors and limit outdoor activities again Thursday as a thick, hazardous haze of wildfire smoke loomed over daily life for millions of people across the U.S. and Canada.
In a Canadian fire season that is just getting started but could well become the worst on record, more than 400 blazes — over a third of them in Quebec — burned Thursday. The smoke billowing from the fires sent plumes of fine particulate matter as far away as North Carolina and northern Europe.
The weather system driving the great Canadian-American smokeout — a low-pressure system over Maine and Nova Scotia — extended "Code Red" air quality alerts in some places as forecasts showed winds continuing to push smoke-filled air south.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
