WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • People were killed and injured after an incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright sparked a major fire.
  • Powerful winds pushed flames beyond the base while hospitals across Edmonton received large numbers of injured patients.
  • Officials said the fire was being held by 11 p.m., with property and critical infrastructure protected.
  • The emergency disrupted advance voting at two locations before Monday’s Alberta referendum.

A deadly incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta sparked a major fire Saturday, leaving people killed and injured as fierce winds pushed flames beyond the base and into the surrounding rural area. Authorities had not immediately determined the number of casualties.

Fire crews worked late into the night while powerful winds complicated the emergency response. Large portions of Alberta were struck by a windstorm during the day, with gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres an hour.

The wind toppled trees, sent signs flying and pushed garbage cans down streets. At the military base, those conditions created a volatile situation as the flames moved beyond the installation.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area. Canadian War Secretary David McGuinty said Armed Forces members and RCMP officers were at the scene.

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McGuinty confirmed that people had been killed and injured but did not provide additional details about the casualty count. Authorities were still trying to determine what had happened and expected to release more information.

“This is an active and delicate situation and soon to be an active and delicate investigation,” McGuinty said. He also described the unfolding emergency as “very, very active and delicate.”

Reports indicated that large numbers of injured people were being transported to hospitals. A doctor in Edmonton, located 180 km, or 120 miles, northwest of the base, said patients were being taken to hospitals across the city.

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Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News that health care facilities near the base had become “completely overwhelmed” by the number of patients requiring treatment.

“This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton,” Thirsk said. “It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15- to 25-year disaster.”

The town of Wainwright, located near the base, has approximately 7,000 residents. Despite the fire moving into the surrounding rural area, officials had not issued an evacuation order for residents.

By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright said on social media that the fire was being held. The district also said property and critical infrastructure were protected.

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Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, McGuinty said he could not recall a similar episode in recent memory. “I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, but I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” he said.

“We will have more to say in the coming hours and days,” McGuinty added. The RCMP’s involvement was expected to continue as the emergency response moved toward an investigation.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the fire “significant and tragic” and said it was affecting many military personnel. Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote earlier on social media, “Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province was sending assistance to Alberta, although he did not identify the resources being deployed. Canadian Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and McGuinty to offer support to those affected.

“Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” Poilievre said in a social media post. He urged people in the area to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders.

CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases and is used to prepare soldiers for combat operations. It houses the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training.

The fire also disrupted advance voting before Monday’s referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada. Elections Alberta said polling locations in Lloydminster and Vermilion closed early Saturday, while their ballots were transported securely.

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