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Sledding on thin ice

Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Friday, April 20, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The Yellowknife Fire Department is advising residents that with spring in the air, ice will begin melting soon.

"With the warmer weather we're going to see some ice deterioration," said Chucker Dewar, deputy fire chief.

"It starts deteriorating at the shore," he explained.

Some other signs that the ice is melting are exposed rocks or docks, and ice-candling, where the ice rots and splinters into thin shards.

Dewar said it's difficult to really say when the ice is no longer safer for travel.

"It's very difficult for us to say when, it's really common sense."

One sure sign, however, is when it begins to candle.

"The ice develops pockets, it almost looks like candles," said Dewar.

He said ice conditions also depend on wind, rain and objects protruding from the ice where the ice melts more quickly.

"It's completely unpredictable," he said.

Dewar also said the speed at which the ice melted last year can't be used to gauge how quickly the ice will melt this year.

He said around this time last year the fire department's most numerous responses were to rescue pet owners stranded on poor ice.

"The dog will run out onto the ice and fall through and the owner will try to rescue them," he said.

Dewar would prefer if people didn't try to rescue their pet and instead call the fire department for help.