Item: The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale
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Title: The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale
Proceedings: 2010 International Snow Science Workshop
Authors:
- Grant Statham [ Parks Canada Agency, Banff, AB ]
- Pascal Haegeli [ Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; Avisualanche Consulting, Vancouver, BC ]
- Karl W. Birkeland [ USDA Forest Service National Avalanche Centre, Bozeman, MT ]
- Ethan Greene [ Colorado Avalanche Information Centre, Boulder, CO ]
- Clair Israelson [ Canadian Avalanche Centre, Revelstoke, BC ]
- Bruce Tremper [ USDA Forest Service Utah Avalanche Centre, Salt Lake City, UT ]
- Chris Stethem [ Chris Stethem & Associates Ltd., Canmore, AB ]
- Bruce McMahon [ Parks Canada Agency, Rogers Pass, BC ]
- Brad White [ Brad White ]
- John Kelly [ John Kelly ]
Date: 2010
Abstract: The Avalanche Danger Scale is an ordinal, five-level warning system that is a cornerstone of public avalanche information. The system was developed in Europe in 1993, and introduced to North America in 1994. Although both Canada and the United States adopted the system, different descriptors of the danger levels were developed in each country. Fifteen years of practical use revealed numerous deficiencies in this danger scale, most notably a lack of clarity during low probability/high consequence avalanche conditions. In 2005, a group of Canadian and American avalanche forecasters and researchers began to revise the system, with the goal of improving clarity and developing a single standard for North America. Initial explorations to define the problem resulted in more questions and uncovered an almost complete absence of formal underpinnings for the danger scale. The magnitude of the project subsequently changed, and in 2007 the project objectives were clarified as: 1) definitions of avalanche hazard, danger and risk; 2) methodology for assessing avalanche danger; and 3) revisions to the danger scale as a public communication tool. This paper concentrates on the third and final objective, and describes the methods and results of producing the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale. Emphasis is placed on best practice in warning system design and the principles of risk communication, which helped reshape the avalanche danger scale into a more effective communication tool. The revised danger scale will be implemented across Canada and the United States for the 2010/11 season. Additional Authors: 1Parks Canada Agency, Banff, AB 2Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; Avisualanche Consulting, Vancouver, BC 3USDA Forest Service National Avalanche Centre, Bozeman, MT 4Colorado Avalanche Information Centre, Boulder, CO 5Canadian Avalanche Centre, Revelstoke, BC 6USDA Forest Service Utah Avalanche Centre, Salt Lake City, UT 7Chris Stethem & Associates Ltd., Canmore, AB 8Parks Canada Agency, Rogers Pass, BC
Object ID: ISSW_O-020.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: danger scale, avalanche, warning system design, risk communication
Page Number(s): 117-123
Subjects: avalanche danger scale risk communication
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