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figures 1 to 3.
*CodeGray:Thismeansanordinarywinterdaywith
nothing in particular going on but ensures that all the
vital signs are looked at. Snowpits are dug on a regular
basis and stability isevaluated. Snow accumulation is
monitored. If something looks as if it might develop into
a potentialavalanchesituation the IMO enters into what
is called Code Green.
*CodeGreen:Thisiswhenasituationmightdevelop
within a few days and the office isput into a state of
more preparedness, more personnel is called to the of-
fice and all the relevant authorities are notified.Addi-
tional data is gathered s.a. fresh snowpits are dug and
the snow observer makes a round of his domain to get a
fresh overview of what the situation is like.If it looks
like the forecast is going to be realized the IMO enters
into what is called Code Yellow.
*Code Yellow:During this stage the evacuationareasare
determined in collaboration with the local authorities
and aformalnotificationissenttothe localChiefof
Policewhoisresponsiblefortheexecutionofthe
evacuation.
All these codes are determined so as to correlate with the
plansoftheNationalCivilProtectionorganization.The
timingwouldmaybebeslightlydifferente.g.theIMO
would enter into its Code Green slightly earlierthan local
CivilProtection Committees aswell asthe Code Yellow.
This is because the IMO is supposed to initiate the proce-
dure. Code Yellow can only be lifted when the local Civil
Protection Committee andthe IMO agree. TheCivil defense
has an additional code, Code Red which is when disaster
has struck. Duringthat phase the local Chief of Police is in
total charge and the IMO is purely an advisory body.
EVACUATIONPLANS.
The initial effort went into laying out and defining evacu-
ation plans. Three levels of evacuation are defined.
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Evacuationlevel1:Anareawhich relatestoknown
avalanches and moderate snow accumulation. The ex-
tension of the evacuation area may be smallerthan in-
dicated by the avalanchehistory i.e. excludingextreme
conditions.
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Evacuationlevel2:Anareawhich ispredominately
determined by known avalanches andother paths with
similartopologicalconditions.Possiblehazardsitua-
tion might arise during heavysnow accumulation. The
areawill be evacuated during impendingweather con-
ditions which are known to impose a serious threat of
avalanches.
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Evacuation level 3:An area whichis consideredthreat-
ened bycatastrophic avalanches thatneed notbein-
cluded in theknown avalanchehistory; meteorological
conditionswithextremesnowaccumulationand
extremestormconditions.Alsoincludedareareas
whichare threatened during extremelyraremeteoro-
logical conditions.
The lateral influence zone of each avalanchepath was de-
terminedand verticallinesweredrawn toshowtheex-
tent.Then horizontal lines were drawn to showhow far
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downhill each level extends.Each area was then given a
letterthatwillbeused when an orderforevacuation is
issued.See figure 4.
Todate evacuation plans have been made for 9 commu-
nities with a total population of 10,000 and an additional
3 communities with 2,500 people will be added shortly.
The work included, a description of the conditions that
are threateningto the various zones within the individual
communities,e.g. what wind direction is most dangerous
for the various avalanche pathsand how common it is and
what synoptic situation can create such a wind direction.
The evacuation plan was made by a workgroup which
included avalanchepersonnel that had collected data on
past avalanchecycles, meteorologists that hadinvestigated
past meteorological conditions that lead those avalanche
cycles and people thathad done a statistical evaluation on
the extreme runout of Icelandic avalanches.
The work group also includeda local committee which
consisted ofthe local snow observerand various people
selectedbecause oftheirknowledge oflocalavalanche
conditions.Things were discussed and modified until an
agreementwas reached. Then a formal map was drawn up
and a short report written which described the evacuation
zonesandlevelsandtheweatherconditionsthatwere
needed forthe various stages and levels to be initiated.
A small booklet was then prepared which included an
extractofthe reportand listedwhich buildingswerein
the various evacuation areas and other practical informa-
tion that might come inhandy in case ofan evacuation.
This booklet was distributed to every house in the respec-
tive communities.
SNOW STAKES IN THE STARTING ZONES.
In orderto be able to betterevaluate the snow accumula-
tion in the various starting zones, a system of snow stakes
is being installed in the most threatenedcommunities. The
stakes are wooden with a multicolored plastic sleeve,al-
ternating bandsof blue and yellow, each band 30 cm wide.
A total ofaround 120stakes will be in place this winter
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