Female charged with arson remains in custody
By Lethbridge Herald on January 27, 2026.
By Alejandra Pulido- Guzman
Lethbridge Herald
The case of Audrey Rae Small Legs was heard in Lethbridge Court on Monday morning.
Small Legs is charged with arson in connection with a grass fire that razed a southside coulee and an area of the Mountain View Cemetery.
Her matters were adjourned to Jan. 30 to finalize her bail plans.
On January 13, at approximately 12:45 p.m., police and Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services responded to a report of a fire in the coulees between the 1200 and 1600 blocks of Scenic Drive South near Mountain View Cemetery.
Crews from five stations responded and extinguished the flames. A number of homes and buildings in the Scenic Heights apartment complex were evacuated as a precaution, but no one was injured.
Police on scene were alerted to a suspicious female running from the fire. She was quickly located near the cemetery fence line and taken into custody without incident. Investigation determined witnesses had observed a lone female near the fire who proceeded to flee as it spread rapidly due to the wind.
Personal property belonging to the subject was seized nearby along with a lighter. The woman was subsequently charged with arson.
There was no damage to gravestones in the cemetery and firefighters remained on scene for several hours after the fire to ensure there were no flare-ups.
Audrey Rae Small Legs, 44, of Lethbridge, is charged with three counts of arson – disregard for human life and failing to comply with the conditions of a probation order.
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When you see how close the fire came to houses, you must applaud the Lethbridge Fire members for their efforts . . . the fire also threatened structures in the cemetery.
When lawlessness is allowed to abound, there are no boundaries for people who are addicted, in gangs on allowed to hang out all night on the streets committing crimes. Last year we also saw an increase of random assaults against citizens who were just walked down the streets, in a couple of incidents over by No Frills north, swarming events.
You don’t hear of all of the small structures destroyed in the downtown/center regions . . . the sheds burned, the garages, the fences, the property damage by fires that damage sides of buildings including Galt Gardens, businesses and even the old Curling rink.
Luckily, due to the efforts of Lethbridge Fire members, the major losses have only been the historical Lethbridge Hotel, Bow On Tong, both of which were sad to lose!
When the shelter has plenty of space for those on the streets to stay, there is zero excuse for them to be encamped, sleeping rough or loitering all night.
They do so to commit crimes and are not the truly homeless! Crimes that continue to rise as organized crime increases due to the increases in lawlessness, crimes that bring in other gangs and criminals so other areas increase such as child exploitation/pornography, sex/human trafficking . . . dispicable crimes.
Police work hard to reduce those crimes, to prevent incidents such as the Skye Atoa case, but often face brick walls due to the feds handcuffing them, preventing them from doing their jobs!
The must be ways found for all governments to work together to put legislation in place to find solutions, put proper legislation in place and end the carnage on our the streets which impact us all!
Many are not aware that the addiction crisis is costly the local Lethbridge taxpayer over $11 million annually, not including provincial and federal funds.
We are facing the possibility of another ‘World War’ in the next few years, and we must prepare . . . we must stop being divisive and we must find solutions for all of the issues, not just the drug crisis.
At a time of war, many ex-military who now work in various fields could be re-called to the military . . . that would impact many of our already essential services who are struggling to fill their own ranks.
We need to learn to work smarter, find solutions to shortages and stop trying to tear down governments, and agencies. The healthcare, education and other systems right across Canada are struggling, understaffed, not just Alberta.
We are going to get got unprepared for what is already being called an imminent World War!
Lethbridge Police has made headway, but there is still work to be done! There needs to be better understanding and collaboration between City administration and LPS, so police can do their jobs! The city must recognize the issues on our streets with encampments strain police/fire/EMS, and cause high costs . . . there is no reason for encampments, when police themselves admit that 60%-70% of crimes in the area are from the encampments! It is a no-braiiner! Stop them and you save resources, money and property damages . . . the shelter had space!
Figure it out . . . ! It isn’t rocket science! Allowing the encampments only put people in them at risk, a live of Hell and allows lawlessness to increase!
Stop handcuffing LPS! Stop the excuses please!
We have bigger problems on the horizon! It is possible if you are willing . . . but you have to be willing!
End the carnage on our streets!