Chatham-Kent's fire chief wants you -- and your pets -- to stay safe on and around local waterways as the weather warms up and the rain melts the ice that has built up.
CK Fire Chief Chris Case told CK Mornings with Chris, Allanah & Matt on 94.3 CKSY Wednesday morning that he is especially warning people about the dangers of going out on the Thames River and other areas where there is moving water.
Case said it is best if everyone stays away from the river banks right now.
"There was a group of kids playing by the river Monday night and a couple of the firefighters went outside and told them to get back," said Case. "It's deceptive, it looks like there's ice, but it's very, very thin."
Case said they have also had a few rescue calls in the past few weeks where people have slipped into the river.
"Especially when you're walking your dog, that seems to be an issue," said Case. "If the dog goes on the ice, people go on the ice, so keep control of your dog -- of all the calls we've seen, that seems to be quite a prominent aspect of it."
Case said so far, the concern is mostly in areas where there is moving water, adding that local fire crews have not been called out to any issues in areas like Mitchell's Bay or Erieau this year, which tend to attract people who are ice fishing.
"We've had a couple of accidents with snowmobiles, but so far, the ice fishermen seem to know their stuff, we find," said Case.
He said local fire and rescue officials are consistently communicating with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) as well, which takes care of more regular check-ups on the ice and water levels.
"I think the biggest issue we're facing according to what we were told on Monday is that if the ice breaks up and we get an ice jam, that quickly rises the river," said Case. "So, flooding, we normally get a couple of days notice... if there's an ice jam, it's a lot quicker, so, get a 72-hour kit and know if you are in a flood-prone area -- know what you need to do."
The LTVCA also issued a release to the general public earlier this week, noting that as of March 1, the ice on the Thames River measured at several locations from Chatham to Lighthouse Cove last week was, on average, 23 centimetres thick.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement early Wednesday morning, warning of a nasty mix of weather that could include localized flooding with up to 25 mm of rain expected to hit the area in the next 24 hours.
The rain is expected to change over to snow as the temperature quickly drops below freezing Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.
After that, the wind will pick up with forecasters calling for strong wind gusts on Thursday that could be capable of blowing around loose objects and causing tree branches to break.
You can hear the full interview with Chief Chris Case by clicking here.
With files from Paul Pedro