1 injured in B.C. avalanche

One person was injured when an avalanche struck Saturday at the Fernie Alpine Resort in southeastern British Columbia.

In a written statement, resort general manager Andy Cohen said the avalanche hit an area known as Currie Bowl, which is rated as expert terrain, at about 2 p.m. MT.

Cohen said approximately seven people were in the area where the avalanche occurred. He said no one was buried by the snow, but a young male skier sustained a leg injury and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The avalanche was triggered by skiers, Cohen said, and was reported to be about 30 metres wide and one metre deep. The snow moved about 300 metres down the slope, he said.

Earlier, an RCMP officer said four people were pulled from the snow.

Avalanche danger closes 2 B.C. highways

Two routes through British Columbia have been closed because of the avalanche threat.

Highway 1 has been shut down in three locations between Craigellachie and Golden, B.C., either because of a high avalanche hazard or for avalanche control.

Highway 3 on the west side of Kootenay Pass has also been closed because of the high avalanche hazard.

The Canadian Avalanche Centre has listed the danger rating in the North and South Columbia regions and the Kootenay Boundary area as high, meaning conditions are very dangerous and travel in the backcountry is not recommended.

The centre said strong westerly winds along with a series of approaching storms in the area will generate very touchy conditions in the alpine and at the tree line.

In the Kootenay Boundary area, the avalanche centre warns that several buried weak layers of snow exist in the snowpack and the oncoming storms could trigger deep and heavy avalanches.