Water Security Agency warns of thin ice after recent stretch of warm weather

Even if the temperature dips below 0 C overnight, it could still be dangerous on a frozen lake or river across the province.

That’s the message coming from the provincial Water Security Agency.

Spokesperson Patrick Boyle said the agency has seen a higher-than-average number of dangerous incidents on the ice this winter, especially in the southeast.

While nobody tracks the exact number of times people or vehicles fall through the ice in Saskatchewan on any given year, Boyle has definitely noticed a difference.

“We have noticed more incidents over the holiday season this year than in previous years, and I think that’s due to the milder temperatures,” he said.

Recently, there have been at least two major examples. A 25-year-old man who went ice fishing near the Alameda Dam near Oxbow was killed when his ATV went through the ice. There was also a non-fatal incident at Mainprize Lake where a truck fell through the surface.

Boyle urged anyone heading outdoors for any kind of activity on a frozen surface to always check the ice thickness beforehand.

“As you get those above 0 C temperatures during the day, they can weaken some areas, certainly. You have to look out for that,” he said.

“Even if it is freezing at night, we’re having some of those temperature scenarios where it is pretty warm out during the day … Regardless of what it does at night, it’s a very good thing to take the extra precaution, check the ice (and) don’t take anything for granted … And try to be as safe as possible at this time of the year.”