WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Reps. Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), and Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to Canada’s Ambassador urging stronger forest management practices to mitigate wildfire risk. The call for action comes after yet another wave of Canadian wildfire smoke affecting the Upper Midwest.
The lawmakers wrote, “As I’m sure you know, this is not the first year Canadian wildfire smoke has been an issue. In 2023, Canada had its worst year for wildfires on record, last year’s fire season was considered one of the worst, and this year seems to be a continuation of these previous years. While we know a key driver of this issue has been a lack of active forest management, we’ve also seen things like arson as another way multiple large wildfires have ignited in Canada. With all the technology that we have at our disposal, both in preventing and fighting wildfires, this worrisome trend can be reversed if proper action is taken.”
They added that hazardous air quality has disrupted daily life, “Our constituents have been limited in their ability to go outside and safely breathe due to the dangerous air quality the wildfire smoke has created. In our neck of the woods, summer months are the best time of the year to spend time outdoors recreating, enjoying time with family, and creating new memories, but this wildfire smoke makes it difficult to do all those things.”
The Members closed by urging the Ambassador to raise the issue with key Canadian agencies, including Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Forest Service.
You can read the full letter here.
