As smoky air continues to engulf New York City, experts are weighing in on what to expect in the coming days, and how to cope.

In an interview with Pat Kiernan Thursday night, University of Washington professor Dan Jaffe said smoke from the fires isn’t rising up, like with a campfire, due to the number of fires that are currently burning in Canada.

“[With] small fires, the smoke tends not to rise as much,” he said. “This is a lot of small fires that really never got lifted very high. And so, it's just being pushed down with the low-level winds down towards the eastern U.S.”

He emphasized that the smoke will linger at low levels, and going outside without a high-quality mask is not recommended.

 “If I'm going to be outside for an hour, I am absolutely wearing a mask under these conditions – and a good mask: an N95 or KN95,” Jaffe said.

However, Jaffe stressed that that does not mean that the air inside is safe either, and provided a useful guide on how to create a simple air purifying system with a box fan and a filter.

Jaffe also noted it may take “a day or two” for the smoke to clear our area.