WASHINGTON 鈥� U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad, who represents Minnesota鈥檚 1st Congressional District, co-led a letter to Canada鈥檚 ambassador to the U.S., writing to 鈥渒now how your government plans on mitigating wildfire and the smoke that makes its way south.鈥�
The letter, dated Monday, July 7, asks Ambassador Kirtsen Hillman to relay the representatives鈥� concern over Canadian wildfires and their smoke to the Canadian Forest Service and Natural Resources Canada.
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鈥淥ur constituents have been limited in their ability to go outside and safely breathe due to the dangerous air quality the wildfire smoke has created,鈥� the letter says. 鈥淚n 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.鈥�
Other signers include Minnesota Reps. Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber and Wisconsin Reps. Glenn Grothman and Tom Tiffany, the other co-lead.
Last month, Public Safety Canada which predicts increased wildfire risks for parts of the country through July and August. When the report was published in mid-June, Canada had 225 active wildfires, and the 鈥渢otal area burned so far this year is over 3.7 million hectares.鈥�
Sometimes, the wind carries Canadian wildfire smoke to parts of the U.S., including Minnesota. In 2023, one of Canada鈥檚 worst wildfire years, Minnesota experienced 49 poor air quality index days, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
鈥淲ith all the technology that we have at our disposal, both in preventing and fighting wildfires,鈥� the lawmakers wrote, 鈥渢his worrisome trend can be reversed if proper action is taken.鈥�
As of Wednesday, the good to moderate air quality for the state through Friday. Wisconsin鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources through the rest of the week, although 鈥渃hances for elevated PM2.5,鈥� fine particles that can irritate the lungs if inhaled, 鈥渄ue to wildfire smoke will be possible this weekend as the passing system and subsequent northerly flow may bring another round of smoke from ongoing fires in central Manitoba and Saskatchewan.鈥�
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