Chatham-Kent police and the U.S. Coast Guard are warning about weakening and unstable ice on local lakes and rivers.
They say the warmer weather is making ice conditions very dangerous and encourage people to stay off the ice or use extreme caution if enjoying recreational ice activities.
A Michigan man riding an all-terrain vehicle fell through the ice on Lake Erie across from Amherstburg on Wednesday night.
Constable Todd Trahan, who is in charge of the Chatham-Kent police marine unit, says lots of ice fishermen are going out and they should be aware of their surroundings with this melting ice.
"The river system is unpredictable. Obviously, you have moving water underneath and certain areas of the river are going to be weak, especially along the shoreline and under bridges," says Trahan.
He says no fatalities have happened in Chatham-Kent because of people falling through the ice but adds if you're in doubt, don't venture out.
"Even on Lake St. Clair, there are areas out there that are unstable as well. Every year there's at least one incident or a report of an ATV or snowmobile going through the ice," Trahan says.
Trahan says ice doesn't melt at the same rate in every location and using caution for the next few days may save a life.
"Just in mid-December, we had two individuals go through the ice on the Thames River in Chatham. Luckily they were able to get themselves out," says Trahan.
The Coast Guard recommends that people be informed and prepared before heading out on the ice, wear proper and bright clothing to prevent hypothermia and be more visible, and never venture onto the ice without a marine radio, a personal locator beacon, life jacket, screwdrivers and ice picks.
The Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory says Lake Erie was almost 90% covered as of Wednesday.
Environment Canada says the average ice thickness on Lake Erie is 11.5 cm while eastern Lake Erie has thin ice. The western basin, as well as Lake St. Clair, have medium ice.
