The Flathead Avalanche Center will host free Advanced Avalanche Awareness classes at the Flathead National Forest Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, in Kalispell, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 7; Wednesday, Jan. 9; Monday, Jan. 14; and Wednesday, Jan. 16. Two field sessions will be held at the Whitefish Mountain Resort from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12, and Saturday, Jan. 19. No registration is needed.

“Each and every fatal avalanche incident is a unique and sadly tragic event,” avalanche specialist Stan Bones said. “If we fail to study and learn from what happened in the incident, however, they become even larger tragedies and losses as we are destined to repeat them. And this even further cheapens and makes futile the initial loss of life.”

For more information on avalanche education classes and avalanche conditions, visit online at www.flatheadavalanche.org or follow the center at http://twitter.com/FACAvalanche. Avalanche advisories will be posted starting Dec. 8 if conditions allow. To record avalanche advisories, call 406-257-8402.