Avalanches in Juneau: A Tale of Small Slides and Big Decisions
Imagine waking up to the sound of pouring rain, only to learn that your city has issued an evacuation advisory due to the threat of avalanches. That's the reality for some residents of Juneau, Alaska, as multiple small avalanches rolled down Mount Juneau.
This morning, Ezra Strong was out for a walk when he witnessed two small avalanches on a slide path above the Behrends neighborhood. The city had issued an evacuation advisory about an hour earlier for residents in known slide paths downtown and along Thane Road. But here's where it gets controversial... Strong, along with his wife and dog, decided not to heed the advisory. He felt somewhat protected by a rock wall and previous experiences where slides didn't reach their location.
But what does an expert say? John Bressette, Juneau's new Avalanche Advisor, shared an interesting perspective during a press conference: small slides can actually reduce the overall hazard. By releasing some snow, they decrease the potential for a larger, more dangerous avalanche.
Meanwhile, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities confirmed numerous small avalanches along Thane Road. They anticipate more as heavy rainfall, strong winds, and warming temperatures persist. This could lead to the road being closed for several days.
Some residents, like Carlos Cadiente, decided to evacuate. He and his wife, who live in the Behrends slide path, packed their cars and headed to a friend's house. This was the first time in their decades of living there that they've heeded an avalanche evacuation advisory, a testament to the extreme weather conditions.
The Red Cross of Alaska has set up an emergency shelter at Centennial Hall. Britt Tonnessen, the community disaster program manager, highlighted the Red Cross's preparedness, noting past fatal landslides and avalanches. The shelter is ready to accommodate 150 people, and by early afternoon, around 30 people had signed in.
A Question for You: Do you think the city's evacuation advisory was a necessary precaution, or an overreaction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
