Ever wanted to get a good look at an avalanche, without the risk of getting swept away?
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has released some behind-the-scenes footage of a controlled avalanche conducted near Fernie on April 26.
The intentional slide was conducted as a part of the province’s Avalanche Safety Program, which is designed to keep provincial highways and travellers safe.
In the video, a controlled explosion can be seen atop Morrisey Ridge, kicking off a river of snow. An overhead helicopter view shows the snow pouring downhill.
Get daily news
The ministry said it eventually came to a rest within 100 metres of nearby Highway 3, which was closed at the time for safety reasons.
WATCH: Avalanche safety technicians conduct a controlled slide at Bear Pass in 2013
As a a part of the Avalanche Safety Program, the ministry keeps avalanche technicians at eight key locations around the province where they monitor weather and snowpack in 62 avalanche-prone areas.
When dangerous conditions are deemed to occur, the crews temporarily shut down stretches of highway for safety. Crews keep the roads closed until conditions improve, or until avalanche technicians are able to use explosives to artificially trigger a slide.
According to the ministry, the most common method of avalanche blasting is to deploy explosives into avalanche zones from a helicopter.
Crews have also installed avalanche control devices on several key locations, which can be remotely triggered even when weather conditions would keep a helicopter out of the air.