From classes to snow patrols, measures are in place to help prevent avalanches in Arizona
Measures in place to help keep Arizonans safe from avalanches
From avalanche awareness courses to snow patrols, there are a number of measures in place to help lessen the occurrence of avalanches in Arizona.
PHOENIX - Sheets of snow sliding down in an instant, avalanches are one of the most dangerous winter hazards. On average, they kill about 25 to 30 people a year in the United States.
The beginning of February 2021 was the deadliest week of U.S. avalanches on record. According to the National Avalanche Center, 15 people died the week of Feb. 1 due to avalanches. Four of those deaths occurred in Utah, making it the most deadly disaster in the state since 1992.
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While Flagstaff and the surrounding region received about 2 feet of snow in recent days, many areas of the Peaks got more than double that amount. Some high-elevation snowdrifts could even measure two meters. It was the first major accumulation on the Peaks after a long dry spell, and local avalanche experts say there’s now a high degree of uncertainty for avalanche and other backcountry hazards. Anytime you get a significant amount of snow that raises your concerns, says James Foulks, an executive board member of the Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center. What’s unique about this situation is there was no snowpack, or almost no snowpack, on most all aspects of the mountain prior to this storm.