The Yukon RCMP's explosives unit has destroyed another phosphorus flare left behind by the Canadian military.

On Sunday, RCMP Whitehorse received a complaint from the Marsh Lake Fire Department after a member of the fire department found a flare on the beach near Raven Crescent, Marsh Lake, police reported today.

RCMP attended and the flare was determined to be intact and had not been activated when deployed during the Northern Search and Rescue exercises that occurred around Marsh Lake in late September.

The flare was recovered by Explosives Disposal Unit members from "M” Division RCMP. It was taken to a safe area where it was destroyed, police said in a press release.

This is the sixth flare recovered after the operation was concluded. It is the third destroyed by the RCMP. Eighteen flares were deployed during the recent search and rescue exercises.

"It appears that there is still a danger of these flares being washed ashore even though they were designed to sink and not be a threat,” RCMP spokesman Sgt. Don Rogers said today.

"The RCMP continues to remind the public that should a flare be located that they should not handle the object and should contact the RCMP immediately.”

Requests for more information about the flares and the danger they might pose were not returned by the the Canadian Armed Forces before press time this afternoon.

The flare is described as an aluminum cylinder, about 30 centimetres in length and six centimetres in diameter.

It is labelled: "Dangerous Material – If Found Contact Military or Police.”