Canadian authorities issued a red alert for parts of British Columbia after severe winter weather persisted into Monday night.
The alert, which means “a severe weather watch is imminent or occurring,” covers the province’s southwest and northwest regions.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has issued warnings to drivers in the area to stay off the roads for the next several days and asked people to stay off the icy terrain while still able.
“The snow and ice travelling around ice is extremely dangerous,” the agency wrote in a press release. “Please do not venture onto ice for any reason. Do not walk or drive on ice.”
The Canadian Canadian military has been sent to the area and is in the process of trying to establish a snowbase to secure bridges and roads for civilians.
“What we’re talking about is a hard, fast wall with ramparts,” said David Labounty, a Civil Defence meteorologist in Calgary. “We can put up a landing pad, get some shovels and become a ready-made snow base. If we need to use some ambulances, we could take that off.”
He added: “It’s not easy — they’re working around the clock — but it’s the only thing we can do.”