Lisa Iesse

As crews continue to battle a wildfire that grew to more than 12,000 hectares in Wood Buffalo, Wildland officials are concerned about how rising temperatures, particularly in the Dehcho and South Slave regions could affect conditions. Over the weekend, the wildfire reportedly expanded from just under 300 hectares to about 12, 353 hectares in size.

The territory is looking to make changes to regulations about student financial assistance and is looking for public “feedback” on the proposed changes. The proposed amendments could help expand student access to financial benefits, while also expanding the GNWT’s ability to access student information.

Another school in the N.W.T. shows elevated levels of lead in drinking water, with eight sites about 400 times above the maximum drinking water standards. A message from the GNWT issued this evening read that water samples from the Mackenzie Mountain School in Norman Wells showed elevated levels of lead and copper. Water samples from 18 of the 22 fixtures tested above the guidelines for lead. Nearly half of the outlets on site, 8 of 22 fixtures showed elevated levels of copper

Collège Nordique Francophone is looking to bring a new business program to the territory, slated for a September start. The program is aimed at developing students’ understanding of how organizations are run and ways to support day to day business operations.

Scientists with the territory’s Environment and Climate Change department say that water levels on the Peel Channel upstream from Aklavik held steady at 14. 4 meters as of the latest measures taken today. “Levels have held steady at approximately this level since the afternoon of May 23 when ice passed the community,” said the author’s of the report compiling water levels measured up to 11 a.m. on May 25.

NTPC says the source of a leak on the Taltson station’s newly repaired surge tank has been identified and the latest repair is estimated to cost about $1 million, including interim diesel fuel costs, with a return to hydro service anticipated this week.

N.W.T.’s Power Corporation says power was restored to about 50 households after line crew made repairs to a pole in the Ptarmigan and Robin corner of town following a four hour outage in Hay River.

Wood Buffalo Firefighters and NWT Fire say a fire near the Whooping Crane Nesting Area in Wood Buffalo has grown to more than 12,000 hectares and is considered out of control. In the South Slave a new wildfire was spotted approximately 0.5 hectares in size as another over-winter fire remains active near Fort Providence.