Fire rescue crews in Nanaimo say people who are skating on frozen ponds and lakes are taking their lives in their own hands.
With temperatures expected to rise by as much as four degrees this weekend, emergency personnel are on high alert.
“That signifies danger to me, especially on the ice when it starts to warm up,” Martin Drakeley Asst. Chief with Nanaimo Fire Rescue said. “If there’s a fresh layer of snow […] those areas that are weak and the ice may not be visible from outside.”
The Canadian Red Cross warns ice should be at least 15 centimetres thick to skate.
The City of Nanaimo posted warning signs at lakes, advising the public about the dangers.
Even so, firefighters patrol Westwood Lake twice a day and urge people to stay off, especially adults.
“The kids may see them out there and they may say ‘well it must be OK,’ and they could go out and do something that an adult wouldn’t do when they are on the ice and possibly jeopardize themselves,” Act. Capt. Michael Allard said.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Jessica Lepp
