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This vehicle was photographed Tuesday travelling on the Dettah ice road even though it remains closed and construction work hasn't begun. - photo courtesy of yellowknifeinfo.com

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Officials with the Department of Transportation and the RCMP are warning drivers to stay off the Dettah ice road after vehicles were observed driving across it Tuesday.

"Nobody has been charged this year," said Const. Kathy Law. "But if we saw somebody going on there they be charged under (the Motor Vehicles Act)."

Those caught driving on closed seasonal roads could face fines of $860, Law said.

"It's just very dangerous. If you go through, you can be hurt or your passengers could be hurt," said Law.

However, she said people who live in houseboats are allowed to drive to and from the shore to their homes.

Driving on ice roads not yet prepared by and approved by officials is "dangerous on a number of fronts," said Earl Blacklock, communications manager for the Department of Transportation.

"One is that there is always the risk of ice conditions you're not aware of just by observing can result in you going through the ice," said Blacklock. "But it's also dangerous in the sense that nobody's really expecting you; there isn't traffic going by that would see you if you go through ... That's why it's illegal and that's why it's a very high penalty," he said. He called the behaviour "foolish."

Blacklock said people who choose to drive on ice roads out of season are not just putting themselves and their passengers risk, but also safety crews.

"At this point we are just starting to look at construction," said Michael Conway, acting director of road licensing and safety for the Department of Transportation. "We haven't even begun the full construction process ... We have to be sure of all the ice thickness all the way to Dettah."

Generally, the road opens when ice reaches a consistent thickness of 30 cm - when it's able to support 4,000 kg. This is determined by using ground-penetrating radar to test the ice. If there are cracks or other faults in the ice, the road may remain closed even if it is thicker than 30 cm.

Conway said he couldn't give a timeline for when the road might be open for the 2011/2012 season.

He warns that even though the City of Yellowknife website shows a measurement of 10 inches at 175 metres from the Yellowknife shore, that doesn't mean the ice is ready for vehicles.

"It depends on ice conditions. If we have poor ice conditions, often we have to stop and wait for a week or two for conditions to improve," said Conway.

"Unless you know what's beneath you, you're putting yourself in danger," said Conway.

The ice road is normally open before Christmas.

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