The chief of the Hatchet Lake First Nation is warning people to stay off of ice in the area.
Bart Tsannie says there is some ice along the shoreline of Wollaston Lake, but it is still too dangerous.
Tsannie says he has heard of a couple of snowmobiles already going through:
“But people crossing the ice don’t even know how thick the ice is here now. Because of the waves coming in from the open water, it’s flooded in — and maybe there are some cracks there. Just to be on the safe side, I want to make people aware not to cross the ice until it’s safe to cross.”
Tsannie says the band will be putting up signs in public areas, warning people to stay off the ice.
Typically, the only road access to the reserve is an ice road that is maintained from January until the end of March.
The community relies on barge service over the summer months, but the barge is now closed for the season.