'There are hazards': Sask. lake village warning ice fishers of potential dangers

The Resort Village of Candle Lake is warning ice fishers to be cautious after a pressure ridge formed on Deep Bay on Saturday.

The mayor reported the issue in a post on the village Facebook page so the public is aware of a potential for danger while out on the ice.

“The ridge breaks apart and part of the ice will sink a bit lower and sometimes when there’s a break in the ice, water will come to the surface, but that doesn’t mean when you see water, it’s just on the surface,” Mayor Terry Kostyna told CTV News.

Many people use the ice who are very experienced, according to Kostyna, and test the ice thickness regularly to ensure safety.

A photo used on the Facebook post showed a homemade sign at the entrance to Deep Bay saying “Open Water.”

The mayor is seeing more people ice fishing this year since they can’t toboggan or snow mobile as much with so little snow.

He says people use the lake at their own risk whether in the summer or winter. He just wants to make sure they use caution.

“As with any northern lake there are hazards and people need to be careful and cautious and assume the ice is not safe unless they’ve tested it and that’s up to the individuals that are using any lake in Saskatchewan,” he says.

(Source: Facebook / Resort Village of Candle Lake)

The ridges happen on all lakes in the winter, according to Kostyn, but this year has posed some additional concerns since the weather has been so mild, creating more variables when it comes to ice thickness and stability.

Water levels in Candle Lake are low because of a lack of precipitation compared to other years, adding to the variables, and Kostyn believes the water currents on the lakebed could affect the ice above.