Warmer-than-usual temperatures these past few weeks have made it much more difficult to enjoy on-ice activities safely.
Saint John deputy fire Chief Rob Nichol said a winter with fluctuating temperatures can change ice conditions in a hurry.
“With ice, there’s always a risk. It’s never 100 per cent safe,” said Rob Nichol. “There’s a lot of factors that we just can’t control.”
Nichol noted that just 48 hours of above-freezing temperatures can decrease ice strength by 50 per cent.
But temperatures are not the only factor which can impact ice thickness. Nichol said conditions can change drastically depending on where you are.
“If there’s still water, you have a better chance of the ice getting thicker compared to a river where there’s moving water underneath all the time,” he said.
“Ponds are more safe than moving water but I would still want to check to make sure that you had the adequate thickness before venturing out.”
The Canadian Red Cross says ice should be 15 centimetres thick for walking or skating alone, 20 centimetres for skating parties or games, and 25 centimetres for snowmobiles.
Nichol said there are a number of ways you can determine the ice thickness on your own.
“A lot of people will use a drill and mark how many inches down it goes,” he said. “Other people will use a chainsaw or a pole to probe at it at the surface.”
Another good indicator of ice thickness is the colour, he said. Clear blue ice is the strongest while white opaque or snow ice — which is formed by wet snow freezing on the ice — is about half as strong as blue ice.
“A warning sign of very weak ice would be if you see that grey around the ice,” said Nichol. “It indicates the presence of water, so it’s certainly not a safe environment to venture out on.”
Nichol said firefighters try to do as much training as possible to ensure they are ready to respond to any emergencies on the ice or in the water.
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