New database tracks every Canadian avalanche fatality since 1782
A three-year online project containing records of every avalanche fatality in Canada since 1782 is now publicly available, thanks to Avalanche Canada, with the aim of improving the awareness of the risk so future incidents can be minimized
Canada now has an efficient way to keep tabs on the country's avalanche deaths while educating the public on the associated threats that arise every year.
Avalanche Canada recently unveiled a detailed online database containing every known avalanche fatality in Canada since 1782. A three-year project, the Fatal Avalanche Incidents database features an interactive map to filter inquiries by keyword, date, activity or location.
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The site offers users access to Canada's avalanche history, giving them information to improve public safety, education and research.
At the same time, the mission of the archives is to honour the lives lost to avalanches over the past 250 years, Avalanche Canada said.
“When we have dedicated project funding, we can do truly transformative work,” says Gilles Valade, executive director of Avalanche Canada, in a news release. “This project shows what’s possible when national partners invest in data, technology, and public safety. It helps us learn from the past--a crucial step toward preventing future tragedies.”
Explainer for an extreme avalanche danger rating. (Avalanche Canada/The Weather Network)
What it includes
The database will offer users access to several pieces of information, including:
Incident reports on all fatal Canadian avalanches dating back to 1792
Detailed expert incident analyses on most avalanches dating back to 1955
Interactive mapping and search tools by date, location, and activity type
Comparative statistics showing long-term trends and patterns
Case studies, first person accounts, and research
The aim of making those documents publicly available is to support avalanche education and research, and enhance media and public awareness of avalanche risks by offering "valuable context" for current and future backcountry users, Avalanche Canada said.
Explainer for a high avalanche danger rating. (Avalanche Canada/The Weather Network)
“Behind every data point is a story of people, communities, and how our understanding of avalanches has evolved,” said Valade. “This project helps us collectively remember avalanche victims, ensuring their stories continue to inform how we live, play, and make decisions in the mountains."
The initiative came to fruition with support from a three-year grant from Public Safety Canada’s Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund.
The allocated funds allowed Avalanche Canada to digitize, standardize and centralize decades of archival records into a searchable, map-based resource, making information that was distributed across multiple agencies more accessible to the public.