Skier buried, rescued after avalanche near Fernie, B.C.

The scene of an avalanche on Mount Fernie on March 14, 2024. (Source: Fernie Search and Rescue/Facebook)

A skier was buried in an avalanche near Fernie on Thursday afternoon.

Fernie Search and Rescue (SAR) responded to Mount Fernie around 1 p.m. local time, according to a Facebook post.

Two skiers were able to self-rescue without injury as responders assembled their rescue equipment.

“While the outcome was a happy one, it is a stark reminder of the instability of the current snowpack as highlighted in the current (Avalanche Canada) forecast,” Fernie SAR said in the post.

The avalanche forecast for Fernie and its surrounding area is rated at a four, warning of high danger.

Fernie SAR encouraged anyone heading to the mountains over the weekend to be safe and mitigate risks.

“Incredibly difficult risk decisions need to (be) taken by SAR when responding to situations like this – this site was not one we could safely enter to effect a rescue,” Fernie SAR said.

“When we need to take steps to mitigate hazard, it significantly slows down our response time.”

The avalanche was estimated as a size 2.5-3 by Fernie SAR.