Four Canadian soldiers are dead and 39 others are injured following a catastrophic wildfire that swept through the Canadian Armed Forces training ground at CFB Wainwright in central Alberta on Saturday.
Roughly 350 troops from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were conducting high-intensity combat training with live munitions to prepare for overseas deployment and brigade reinforcement in Latvia. Environment Canada had issued wind warnings for gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour across the province on Saturday afternoon.
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, Commander of the 1st Canadian Division, stated that a nearby grass fire was located about a kilometre away and monitored before the tragedy occurred. "They saw no fire and then, there was a fire right on top of them," Rutland said during a Sunday update, describing an uncommon and rapid wind shift that trapped Charlie Company.
Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the House of Commons on Monday, describing the incident as "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime." Parliament observed a moment of silence and adjourned for the day as military officials investigate how the fire outpaced standard safety margins.
Investigations into the exact sequence of events continue at the central Alberta base while injured personnel receive medical treatment for severe burns.