"Certainly, the experience is if you remove forest cover from slopes, avalanches become more frequent," said Clair Israelson, director of the Canadian Avalanche Centre.
"There are areas in Kootenay and Banff National Parks, for example, where the broad fireguards that were put in place will be very attractive to skiers. So, in effect, more avalanche terrain may have been created for skiers."
Some of the steep mountain sides left bare from the fires that consumed thousands of hectares in the Crowsnest Pass, Kootenay and Okanagan areas are expected to become prime ground for avalanches as snow that was once anchored by trees and dense undergrowth will now pile up in what officials call near-perfect conditions for avalanches.
That could lead to another deadly winter in the mountains after 27 people were killed in slides last year, including seven students from Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School who were skiing in Rogers Pass.
It's a situation outdoors enthusiasts are bracing for in the Crowsnest Pass, where fires ravaged snowmobiling trails in the Castle River recreation area.
"Depending on the snow conditions, there could be an increased risk," said Glen French, vice-president of the Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad, an all-terrain vehicle drivers' association.
"Some of the trails may need to be moved because of that, and there are lots of other hazards, such as overhanging trees and areas where erosion and landslides could become a big problem because the topsoil was burnt off."
Users of the provincial Crown land that was torched by the Lost Creek fire have been working with government crews to identify new avalanche zones and repair damage to hundreds of kilometres of ATV trails.
Rick Blackwood, Alberta Sustainable Resources area manager, said the trails were created to minimize riders' exposure to avalanche risk, but said users are ultimately responsible for their safety.
"Undoubtedly, with the removal of a lot of the forest cover, there will be a lot more slow loading and more wind action on the snow, which creates slab avalanches, which are the real dangerous ones," Blackwood said.
While little research has been done on the relationship between forest fires and avalanches, Israelson said historical data in Roger's Pass has shown that slopes with less tree cover are subject to more avalanches.
"When the railway came through, the forest was logged for railway materials. Huge fires were sparked by trains spitting coal, and that led to increasing frequency of avalanches," he said. "Since then, the forest has grown in and there has been a decrease in the number of avalanches coming close to the highway."
Parks Canada public safety warden Marc Ledwidge said while forest fires create more opportunities for skiers to access high-risk avalanche areas above the treeline, fire sites themselves are often considered the safest place for backcountry skiing.
The burnt regions of Kootenay and Banff National Parks are still closed to the public while Parks Canada assesses potential hazards in the area.
gsemmens@theherald.canwest.com