LETHBRIDGE COUNTY, AB – Ongoing warm, dry and windy conditions is forcing Lethbridge County to issue a complete fire ban.
That means all open fires are now off limits within County boundaries.
Under the Fire Ban, all active burning permits are cancelled, and no new permits will be issued until further notice.
County officials say burning of any kind is not permitted, including anything in a barrel like household garbage and yard debris.
Fires that are contained in cooking or heating appliances fueled by fluids or gasses are exempt.
Lethbridge County Reeve Lorne Hickey says as we saw this past weekend, conditions are ripe for a major fire incident. “I want to stress the importance of citizens following the Fire Ban. With this dry, windy weather, it doesn’t take much for a spark to evolve into a large fire that damages farmland and property.”
On Sunday, large grass fires, pushed by extreme wind gusts tore across parts of southern Alberta taking out thousands of hectares of land, burning down homes, resulting in a few injuries.
Just a reminder it’s fineable offence to ignite or allow a fire to burn under a Fire Ban. You can see all current fire bans, advisories, and restrictions here: Alberta Fire Bans