PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. -- A new avalanche detection system should give greater peace of mind to travellers making the lengthy and remote trip along Highway 37 to Dease Lake this winter.

The Transportation Ministry says the automated system can detect snow slides in Ningunsaw Pass, improving the reliability of the highway.

The ministry says automated detection systems include radar, high-definition cameras and communications equipment, allowing avalanche technicians to monitor slide activity in real time.

B.C. has one of the world's most challenging avalanche-management areas, with programs monitoring more than 60 slide areas containing active avalanche paths potentially affecting roads and highways at nearly 1,400 locations.