A devastating grass fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, Canada, has killed four military personnel and left 19 others in critical condition as strong winds swept through a training site. There are 39 people who are at hospitals now after the fire, officials said.
The fire erupted when troops were carrying out a high-intensity military training exercise but fired live ammunition in the air. The tragedy has rocked Canada’s military community and set off the alarm and emergency response, with medical teams working to treat the wounded. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the incident one of the worst peacetime tragedies to hit the Canadian Armed Forces on Canadian soil.
The fire erupted in a training area of Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, one of Canada’s critical military training facilities, in Alberta. About 85 soldiers with Charlie Company from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were in the area and taking part in a combat training exercise when the fire broke out, military officials said.
The troops were equipped with live munitions and doing simulated battlefield activities. The grass fire was burning in the area at the time, but a change in wind direction led the flames to personnel. A contained fire turned into an emergency with little time for soldiers to respond.
Major General Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, said the speed of the fire was extraordinary. He said flames travelled about a kilometre in 30 to 60 seconds after the wind shifted. Gusts travelled at up to 96 kilometres per hour and firefighting was made even more difficult. Military officials said the fire spread to a training area where soldiers were working. The source of ignition is not known, and officials have said there is no evidence of terrorism or outside influence in the incident.
Canadian authorities identified the four dead service members as Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark. Their families were informed, and military officials are sending their condolences to their families and colleagues.
The injured personnel were taken to Alberta hospitals, including Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Wainwright. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said 39 people were treated at hospitals, of which 19 were in critical condition, eight were in stable condition, and 12 were in less serious health care. Medical officials said some had severe burns and some had to be treated for weeks or months for specialist care. Damage was heavy in the emergency departments and medical transport services.
Emergency services and firefighters from the military and civilian firefighters, ground ambulances, air ambulances and specialist rescue teams also were involved in the emergency response. The firefighters worked throughout the night to contain the fire under difficult weather conditions as well.
Emergency medical services were also involved in the transfer of injured patients to hospitals throughout the province, and a mass-casualty response was launched to deal with the sudden influx of patients. The fire was reported to have crossed the military base’s boundary into nearby rural land, and emergency officials were monitoring the situation, they said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his condolences to families of those killed and injured and said it was a tragedy for the entire nation. National flags on federal government buildings across Canada were down to half mast in honour of the fallen service members, Defence Minister David McGuinty and Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan spoke of the tragic loss and the tough job the army is now facing.
The soldiers participating in the exercise were in preparation for military operations, including possible deployment. The incident has raised serious concerns about how quickly the weather changes out there in the open in outdoor military exercises and how those who are trained to respond to fire respond.
People from each part of the country will now investigate the grass fire’s origin, wind changes in the training area, how the fire moved through it, and what action was taken to respond as soon as the danger was apparent. There is no final diagnosis on what happened, and more data will be needed to understand why the tragedy happened. Four service members’ deaths and the serious injury of dozens of others have been devastating for Canada’s military as they are now grieving for the lives of those who were serving and working for the cause of national defence.
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