As climate change continues to alter Wisconsin’s seasons, it is uncertain whether or not Madison events like Lily’s Classic are safe, according to Madison experts and officials.

With Wisconsin’s cold winter weather and the right conditions — bodies of water like Lake Mendota can freeze over and facilitate many recreational activities, according to the Wisconsin Union website.

One of Lake Mendota’s most popular events is Lily’s Classic, an event that raises funds for epilepsy research, held Feb. 15 by the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, according to their Instagram post.

Another UW event occuring annually on Lake Mendota is The Winter Carnival — a weekend-long event held on Lake Mendota and at Memorial Union from Feb. 6-9, according to the Wisconsin Union.

Large groups of people at events at Lily’s Classic and the Winter Carnival draw concern about ice safety, according to the division chief of the lake rescue team at the Madison Fire Department Ronald Blumer.

“No ice is safe ice,” Blumer said.

Last year’s ice conditions were not suitable for Lily’s Classic or the Winter Carnival. Lily’s Classic was canceled and the Winter Carnival was moved from its traditional location on Lake Mendota to UW’s Library Mall, according to WKOW 27.

Two years ago, a UW festivity with around a thousand people gathered on the ice caused the ice to bow, Blumer said.

“They [event participants] can’t really just load themselves up if they don’t know the thickness of that ice,” Blumer said.

The effects of climate change have made ice conditions harder to evaluate and will continue to do so, according to graduate student in the UW Center for Limnology Charles Dougherty.

Ice will grow or shrink depending on its internal temperature. With sharp changes in the temperature in Madison, one cannot be certain that ice is safe to go onto without constantly checking the depth of the ice, Dougherty said.

“That number [measurement of ice depth] now is useless. There’s been so much time in between then and now, and really in order to manage these things well, you need up-to-date information,” Dougherty said.

There have already been multiple cases of people falling through the ice this winter, which is concerning knowing that large crowds will be gathering on the ice, according to Blumer.

Lily’s Classic and the Winter Carnival are currently confirmed to be held on the lake, but officials say people should follow certain safety procedures and proceed with caution.

DNR Conservation Warden Ryan Caputo said there are many concerns that come to mind when he sees people walking on the ice.

“One of the biggest worries that I’ll have is I’ll see people that aren’t as familiar with ice and how to gauge conditions, and I’ll see them all walking in spots where I would never go,” Caputo said.

Caputo and Blumer advise people to stay away from any areas with open water, anywhere that water might be moving and areas with heaps of ice piling up. The Yahara river runs through Lake Mendota and causes water movement beneath the ice, according to Caputo.

One way attendees can assess the safety of the ice is to talk to people who are already on the ice, whether that be asking an ice fisherman why no one has ventured past a certain point or just for general advice, Caputo said.

“The best thing to do is to always have a back-up plan,” Blumer said.

Attendees should have a phone ready to call someone in case they or a member of their party falls into the ice. If someone does happen to fall in, Blumer said to call 911 and wait for trained personnel to arrive and assess the situation.

If someone is a bystander to a person falling in, officials ask that if people feel that they must do something to try to lay on the ice when approaching the person to distribute weight on the ice. Ideally it is best if bystanders wait for the lake rescue team, if not they could end up having to rescue two people instead of one.

It can also be helpful to carry supplies on like a floatation device and ice picks when venturing out onto the lake, according to Blumer.

The best time to go on the lake is in the daytime, to be visible and Blumer advises people to go with friends.

These safety measures are suggested so that people can continue to find fun during the winter, according to Blumer.

“We want people to enjoy our lakes, and we just want to make sure they can do it safely,” Blumer said.