Minnesota DNR issues safety warning for backyard ponds
File photo a notice warning of thin ice. (Photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
(FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is warning of unsafe and "rapidly changing ice conditions" especially for backyard ponds and smaller bodies of water.
In a press release Friday, the DNR explained the ice is melting quicker than usual this season, given unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow, which would normally provide insulation.
While no ice is safe ice, the DNR warned of the potential for unsafe conditions, especially for backyard ponds, drainage ditches, and smaller bodies of water, as they are often found in neighborhoods and can be a "magnet" for children.
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"These places often are overlooked when it comes to ice safety because they generally don’t attract ice anglers," the DNR said in a statement. "But at least eight children under the age of 10 have died in the past 25 years after falling through backyard ice."
The DNR explained children might not understand the danger of ice or be aware they are walking on it if playing near a drainage ditch or frozen pond. So adults need to talk with them regarding the risks of ice and the importance of staying off.
To learn more about ice safety, visit the DNR's website here.