Recent high winds prompt fire ban in river valley

By Lethbridge Herald on November 1, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald
As wind speeds remain relatively high, the Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services has placed a fire ban on the river valley, but it may be lifted with frost in the horizon. 

Troy Hicks, Chief Fire Marshal with LFES said he is aware of the disappointment this cause many residents, but the fire ban is necessary due to the wind and the dry conditions brought up by it.  

“The high winds of the last week have just dried out the river valley so much, that the numbers are through the roof. Our numbers for our fuel load and the initial spread index are both at extreme,” said Hicks. 

He said he checked Friday morning, and the numbers went down slightly due to overnight frosting.  

“I am hoping that as we have a regular fall, if we don’t get snow too early, but with the overnight frost, and if the humidity goes up a bit, that it will lower the numbers,” said Hicks. 

He said that residents need to remember that the wind in Lethbridge is strong and sometimes unpredictable, and therefore the risk is high. 

“Once that wind comes through, not only is that annoying, but it also dries everything else so much that the fire risk is extreme down there,” said Hicks. 

He said something as simple as an improperly discarded cigarette, could burn up the coulees in minutes if the wind is high and that is why the fire ban is in place. 

 “And it also depends on the fuel load that’s there. When a fire starts burning, it just wants to consume everything in its way. And the more stuff it has to consume, it’s just going to keep going,” said Hicks. 

He said LFES continues to look at different ways to minimize the fuel load in the river valley, but they also want everyone to be able to enjoy the river valley as it is a beautiful area, and a great place to go for walks when it’s not crazy windy.  

“When we get the spread index as high as it is, that one little spark can continue to go extremely fast,” said Hicks. 

He said this is not to scare residents or businesses on the edge of the coulees, but to make people aware that the risk is there if precautions are not taken. 

“Places on the coulees’ edge were built and designed with fire safety in mind. And we have fire breaks in between, where the grass is nice and clean, it’s green, and it’s been watered,” said Hicks. 

He said the fire breaks help reduce the risk of fire spreading onto structures, but in the case of an emergency, LFES has multiple tools to tackle it. 

“Members do so much training year-round making sure that they’re ready for things like grass fires, we have new equipment like our new side by side that helps us get into any location down the river valley to put out a fire and also our new sprinkler trailer that can be set up there,” said Hicks.