One police officer has been killed and a second has been critically injured in an avalanche near Kaslo in southeastern B.C., the Nelson Police board says.
The board says the two officers were struck by the avalanche while on snowmobiles. No further details were released Monday evening.
The village of Kaslo is surrounded by the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges, and is about an hour’s drive north of Nelson, B.C.
On Monday night, the avalanche danger rating for the region around Kaslo was at level three of five, which is considerable, according to Avalanche Canada.
“Under considerable danger, natural avalanches are possible and human-triggered ones are likely,” says Avalanche Canada’s website.
Avalanche Canada warned Sunday that lengthy periods of drought and cold weather starting in November created weak layers in B.C.’s snowpack this year, adding that it will be more vulnerable to avalanches.
It says the weak snow could persist for months, if not the whole season.