Jason Unrau
Northern News Services
Friday, July 27, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Snowfield Developments, a mining company with a camp in the vicinity of a June 30 forest fire in the Drybones Bay area, is going to repair grave markers damaged in what the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has called a "person-caused" fire.

"We of course understand the importance of the sacred ground and we realize this is extremely important and will assist in any way that's required to make sure the facility and the location is restored," said John Dalton, regional general manager for Snowfield. "It's not an acknowledgement that we started the fire, absolutely not. It's an acknowledgement that we respect that area and... have seen something that has happened and we're in a position to try and assist."

Frank Lepine, fire operations manager for ENR, could offer few details but reiterated that the blaze, which destroyed 392 hectares of forest, was "person caused."

"I can't give you any details beyond that because it's still under investigation," he added.

On July 17 at the Dene National Assembly, Yellowknives Dene Chief Peter Liske of Dettah spoke about the damage and his Ndilo counterpart Chief Fred Sangris said he was in negotiations with Snowfield for compensation.

Dalton told Yellowknifer that in addition to repairing those sites damaged in the blaze, Snowfield offered to refurbish a large cross and provide appropriate grave markers at locations currently lacking them. Both of those sites were not affected by the fire, said Dalton.

Attempts to contact Liske and Sangris before press time were unsuccessful.