-Forecasters say avalanche threat in most of B.C. to worsen-
OSOYOOS TIMES-January 7, 2009-
By Karen KnelsenrnOsoyoos Times
Oh no, not again, was the thought Oliver resident John Hofman had when he first heard about the deaths of eight snowmobilers caught in an avalanche near Fernie last month.
He said the news reports brought tears to his eyes, as memories of his own brother's death came flooding back.
It's heart-wrenching for me to go through this. I know what they're going through, he said.
Eric Hofman, a 44-year-old Penticton man was killed when he was caught in an avalanche on Jan. 6, 2008 when he was snowmobiling in the Christian Valley.
John went to help recover his brother's body and the experience is one he hopes few others will have to share.
I try to instill in everybody that high country is not really safe right now, he said.
John knows it's easy to get complacent about the risk of avalanches in the Southern Interior and Boundary regions of B.C. but he said it's not a risk anyone can afford to ignore.
There are a few spots up here that will avalanche.
Ilya Storm, an avalanche forecaster for the Canadian Avalanche Centre in Revelstoke, said the avalanche threat of in southern B.C. is high.
Osoyoos itself should be safe, he said. (But) we expect avalanche danger is going to increase over the next few days.
With the weather forecast calling for more snow, wind and slightly warmer temperatures, Storm said all the ingredients for a critical avalanche risk are there.
As of Jan. 5, the centre was reporting high risk conditions throughout most of B.C. including the Kootenay-Boundary region.
The snow pack structure is not giving us any confidence, he said.
[email protected]
