Michigan Republican Delegation Sends Letter Demanding Action on Canadian Wildfires

Today, Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05) led members of the Michigan Republican Delegation in sending a letter to the Ambassador of Canada to the United States, Mark Wiseman. The letter requests a meeting with the Ambassador to discuss efforts that can be taken to improve wildfire prevention and protect the health and safety of residents.

"As you know, wildfires are a challenge our countries share, and they pose a significant threat to life, property, and the communities we have the privilege of representing," the lawmakers write. "This crisis has been largely driven by decades of inadequate forest management that allowed hazardous fuels to accumulate, leading to larger, and more devastating fires. That is why we passed bipartisan legislation in the United States House of Representatives, H.R. 471, the Fix Our Forests Act, to increase resilience to catastrophic wildfires, promote collaboration across state and federal agencies, restore forest health, and encourage more active forest management."

"The cooperation between our two countries is paramount to protect the health and safety of our constituents," the lawmakers continue. "As a shared challenge both of our countries face, we would like to work with you to find solutions that will increase forest management, improve wildfire prevention, and enhance wildland fire suppression efforts to limit harmful wildfire smoke."

"Therefore, we promptly request a meeting no later than July 24, 2026, to discuss what steps can be taken to address the wildfires plaguing both of our countries, any progress being made in Canada on wildfire containment, prevention, and forest management, and how the United States can assist in providing active solutions to benefit Canadians and our constituents," the lawmakers conclude.

The lawmakers' letter can be found in full here.

The letter was signed by Reps. John Moolenaar (MI-02), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Tim Walberg (MI-05), Tom Barrett (MI-07), and Lisa McClain (MI-09).