Alberta’s wildfire season has begun, with crews in southern Alberta responding to several grass fires over the past two weeks.
On Friday afternoon, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) responded to the first significant grass fire of the year in the river valley east of the Lethbridge Country Club.
“We had 26 firefighters respond to that scene from all five stations,” said Kevin McKeown, LFES deputy chief of communications and strategy.
“Our crews were able to contain the fire with no loss to any structures or buildings.”
The 2025 wildfire season began in Alberta on March 1.
“Alberta has faced unprecedented wildfire challenges over the last two years, and as the province enters the 2025 wildfire season, our government is focused on a three-pronged approach to tackle the threat of catastrophic wildfires,” said Todd Loewen, minister of forestry and parks.
“Prevention, mitigation and readiness to respond.”
As part of this year’s budget, the government also invested $160 million in funding for personnel, equipment, training and contracts for aircraft.
“We’re going into this season in substantially better shape than we were last year,” said Loewen.
“I think our holdover fires on Jan. 1, 2025, there were six, and last year was 64, so that’s a substantial difference in numbers going into the season. But, as far as our recruitment, our training, our prep with equipment, the added dollars to be able to do that in the budget, I think we’re in a lot better shape than last year.”
There are fireguard projects underway in Cypress Hills Provincial Park, the Bow Valley near Canmore, Hinton, Whitecourt and Slave Lake.
There are seven active wildfires burning in Alberta, but they are contained.
While this year’s conditions are better, officials say things can quickly change.
“Lethbridge is not in the forest protection area; we have far different typography and fuels in our area, so our grasslands can dry out very, very quickly, as we saw on Friday,” said McKeown.
“As soon as that snow cover is gone and we get some wind, it really dries up those fine fuels and our fire risk elevates.”
According to the province, in 2024, there were 282 wildfires caused by residential and recreational fire—a 30 per cent drop from the highest numbers Alberta saw in 2022.
So far this year, crews from Coaldale and District Emergency Services and the M.D. of Taber have responded to several grass fires in the region.
McKeown says residents need to do their part and obey any fire bans or advisories, put out any fires and not throw smoking materials outside.
“It doesn’t take much,” McKeown said.
“A small ember still smouldering when the winds pick up like the way they do down here in this area can really create a fire hazard that way.”
A fire ban is currently in effect for the City of Lethbridge and the river valley, while a fire advisory remains in place for Lethbridge County.
