The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an air quality alert for the New York City metro area on Sunday, warning that smoke from multiple wildfires across the state and in nearby New Jersey is elevating fine particulate matter to levels deemed "unhealthy for sensitive groups."

Wildfires were burning from one end of New Jersey to the other on Friday after one of the driest months on record, leading New York City to issue smoke warnings and forcing farmers to take steps to protect their harvests.

New York City had a weekend of mostly blue skies marred by acrid smoke and air-quality advisories after a series of brush fires, fueled by extremely dry conditions, erupted around the region. People sensitive to pollution were advised that the air quality through Sunday could be at unhealthy levels because of smoke and particulate matter.