AVALANCHE PREVENTION APPARATUS
Apparatus is described for arresting or at least retarding an avalanche. In the described embodiment the apparatus comprises a plurality of elongate substantially cylindrical bodies (1) which are positioned on a mountainside in a likely avalanche path, for deployment into an avalanche. Each body is provided with a multiplicity of bristles (10) for engaging with one or more of the other cylindrical bodies (1) with which it may come into contact when the bodies are deployed. The bristles may be provided with locking mechanisms such as hook and loop mechanisms (14,16) for locking one cylindrical body to another when the bristles (10) of each come into contact. Each body may further be provided with anchor cables (26) to brake and arrest the body when deployed into an avalanche. The apparatus includes one or more stands (2) for deploying the cylindrical bodies into an avalanche. In use the stands) are fixed to the mountainside in strategic positions in the predicted avalanche path.