DNR issues ice warning

Unseasonably warm weather combined with a lack of snow cover has taken a toll on ice, particularly on smaller bodies of water. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking the public to be extremely cautious around the ice on small ponds and drainage ditches found in neighborhoods that draw curiosity from children. 

The DNR says at least eight children under the age of 10 have died in the past 25 years after falling through backyard ice. The agency is urging parents to talk to children about the dangers and to warn them to stay off the ice.