Norman Wells

After four habituated black bears were killed in Norman Wells on Aug. 23–24, GNWT officials urged residents to secure attractants and follow bear-safety practices. The community has logged 29 bear-related calls this summer.

Unusually low waters in the Mackenzie River during late summer 2025, disrupting traditional and commercial river transport and indicating a shift from riverbed to riparian areas.

Residents in the Sahtu region are voicing concerns that fire retardants used to combat wildfires in the Northwest Territories may be harming the environment, affecting wildlife, vegetation, and aquatic systems. Local observations and research indicate that areas treated with these chemicals show signs of degraded recovery and potential long-term ecological impacts.

Cathy Pope, a berry picker from Norman Wells, N.W.T., said there has been an abundance of blueberries this year, and that she's "never seen it like this." Despite the ample availability of fruit, thick wildfire smoke — some of the worst in the country, at times — has made it hard for Pope to go out and pick.

The Arctic Salmon Project collected 2,400 samples from the western Arctic this year — more than the past 20 years combined.

Smoke exposure can cause several symptoms, including sore eyes, tears, cough and runny nose. People who are active outdoors are the most at-risk, according to the health advisory issued Tuesday morning. 

Officers received four separate calls in 48 hours from Sunday to Monday. The wolves were quite active, quite brazen, coming out in the daylight hours right in residential areas. One resident had a dog encounter with one of the wolves but was not harmed.

The N.W.T.'s Marine Transportation Services has announced it is cancelling barges to Norman Wells and Tulita due to low water levels.

Businesses in Norman Wells, N.W.T., are bracing for another uncertain Mackenzie River barge season after multiple years of disrupted deliveries, including 2024 when no barges reached the community. Some firms are shifting to winter-road shipping, raising costs and risk for projects and contributing to ongoing cost-of-living concerns.