DEH CHO
From freezing rain near Fort Providence to above-zero temperatures in Fort Liard, this February marks the second year in a row the Deh Cho has seen unusually warm conditions while still in the throes of winter.

On Feb. 12, Fort Liard hit a high of 9.4 C, according to weather data from Environment Canada. Conditions remained relatively warm throughout the week, causing the road to the community to ice over in sections.

Meanwhile, temperatures rose in Fort Providence to more than 2 C on Feb. 15, leading to slippery driving conditions and freezing rain.

The spike in temperatures is reminiscent of a similar spike in 2016, where the latter half of February saw temperatures above zero in Fort Providence and Fort Liard.

The warm trend carried well into March last year, with temperatures hitting the double digits in some cases.

The temperatures in 2016 had a devastating effect on young bison in the Nahanni population, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources tracking the highest winter mortality rate for calves since the department first started gathering data in 2002.

At the time, Nic Larter, the department's regional manager of wildlife, research and monitoring, attributed the deaths to high temperatures followed by freezing weather, which caused the snow pack to melt, sink and freeze and made it difficult for bison to forage for food through the layer of ice that formed.

Judy McLinton, spokesperson with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, stated in an e-mail that the warm temperatures this year in the Deh Cho are not currently impacting bison or other wildlife.

"It has been warmer throughout the winter (this year), with less snow. Last year, the temperatures and snowfall were average for the region," she stated.

She added the weather conditions aren't yet affecting the trapping industry, either.

"Fur intake in the region has been steady this year, and trappers are still active," she stated.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.