Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

Warning: Stay Off Thin Ice

By 250 News

Despite the recent plunge in temperatures, the Red Cross is urging residents in Northern B.C. to use extreme caution on icy waterways in the early goings of the winter season.

"Ice is very inconsistent at this time of year and can't be trusted," says Spokesperson Rebecca Row.  She points to fluctuating temperatures compromising the integrity of the ice and says snow, also, obscures the ice and makes it difficult to assess its condition.

To support its warning, the Agency is releasing some alarming statistics -- between 1991 and 2000, 450 people in Canada drowned after falling through ice.  Almost half of the victims were snowmobiling, while the others were participating in activities on the ice like skating or fishing.

Row says the Red Cross recommends that ice be at least 15cm deep before small groups of people venture out and 20cm for larger groups or hockey teams.  When it comes to snowmobiling, riders should ensure the ice exceeds 25cm.

It was last Christmas that 19-year-old Matthew Alan Karey and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Kora-Lee Prince, disappeared while snowmobiling on Stuart Lake in Fort St. James.  It's believed the pair drove off the ice and into open water.  Their bodies were not recovered until two months later by a submersible camera.
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