By Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

Extremely dry conditions concern Lethbridge Fire Department

Dec 21, 2018 | 10:41 AM

LETHBRIDGE – While some areas of the country have been getting more than their fair share of precipitation, the exact opposite is true in southern Alberta.

And that’s a concern to the Lethbridge Fire department.

Fire Prevention Officer Jeff Marriott says they’re keeping a very close eye on conditions in the River Valley and surrounding the city.

“We are extremely concerned. Especially because it’s windy, too. The wind, even if we do get a bit of moisture in Lethbridge, we do get a lot of wind and that dries conditions out really fast and quite extensively.”

The department monitors soil conditions at a nearby weather station, and if it gets much drier, a fire ban may be issued.

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He’s asking residents to be extremely careful, especially when discarding cigarette or cigar butts and if they have backyard fires.

“Dispose of smoking materials properly, don’t throw cigarette butts out the window of your car. If you do have a fire – a backyard fire – make sure it’s properly cleaned wood, you have a garden hose ready, and make sure your is completely out. Dig up your ashes and re-soak them again.”

He is also asking people who spend time in the River Valley to be extra cautious as well.

Marriott says there have been instances where grass fires have occurred in and around the city in the winter months.

“In the past we’ve had grass fires in December. It’s not uncommon to have grass fires at this time of year and in January and February.”

In early November 2016, a large grassfire took hold east of Highway 845 south of the Old Man River, another large grass fire occurred near Lethbridge in early March 2013, in January, 2012, and in late November, 2011 on Lethbridge’s west side.