North Michigan News

Rep. Jack Bergman, who represents Michigan’s 1st district in the U.S. Congress and is a member of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, has sent a letter to Canadian Senator Michael MacDonald calling for urgent action on wildfire smoke affecting the United States.

In his letter, Bergman expressed concern about the impact of Canadian wildfires, which have led to poor air quality across Northern Michigan and much of the Midwest for three consecutive summers. He urged Canadian officials to strengthen forest management policies and take greater responsibility for cross-border pollution.

“For three summers in a row, residents in my District have dealt with hazardous air quality, limited outdoor activities, and real threats to public health—all caused by wildfires burning across the border. It’s time for Canada to take this seriously and implement the forest management strategies needed to protect both their citizens and ours,” Bergman wrote.

The letter highlighted that continued inaction is not acceptable and advocated for modern forest management practices such as prescribed burns and proactive mitigation efforts to reduce fire risks.

Bergman detailed how recent wildfire smoke events have led to widespread air quality alerts, school closures, canceled outdoor activities, and increased public health risks throughout Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. He noted rising rates of respiratory distress among vulnerable groups like children and seniors at hospitals across his district.

“As partners with a long and productive history of cooperation, I urge the Canadian government to take more active steps to manage and mitigate wildfire risk—including forest thinning, fuel reduction, and the use of prescribed burns where appropriate. These are well-established practices that could greatly reduce the scale and intensity of wildfires and the transboundary smoke that follows. The science and tools exist; what’s needed is the will to act with urgency,” Bergman stated.

He also emphasized shared responsibility between both countries: “As members of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, we share not just a commitment to mutual understanding, but a responsibility to address issues of shared concern. The air our citizens breathe does not respect international boundaries. It is critical that forest management and wildfire mitigation be treated as a bilateral environmental and public health priority.”

Bergman concluded by expressing willingness to work collaboratively with Canadian counterparts: “I stand ready to work with you and our Canadian colleagues in good faith to improve coordination, elevate this issue within our respective governments, and take meaningful action to protect the well-being of our communities.”

Jack Bergman has served as representative for Michigan’s 1st District since 2017 after succeeding Dan Benishek. He was born in Shakopee, Minnesota in 1947 and currently resides in Watersmeet.