Grass fire at Canadian military base kills at least four, injures dozens

A fast-moving grass fire at a military base in Alberta, Canada, has killed four armed service members and caused dozens of injuries.

At least 39 people were hospitalised as of Sunday, with at least 19 in critical condition, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

The fire reportedly broke out on Saturday afternoon during training exercises at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright, one of the busiest military training bases in the country.

Officials said what began as a smouldering grass fire spread quickly, fanned by a sudden uptick in wind gusts from 50km/hour (31mph) to 96kmh (60mph), taking leaders on the base by surprise.

“I’ve certainly never seen anything like it,” Major-General Wade Rutland told reporters at a news conference on Sunday.

The four people killed included privates Aidan Goulding, Shaun Farrell and Hayden Lykkemark, as well as Sergeant Morgan Wong.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was among the officials sharing their condolences on Sunday, calling the incident “one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil and in peacetime”.

“The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our armed forces whom we have lost,” Carney said. “Canadians come together in crisis. That is the best of our country.”

Carney also praised the crews who risked their lives “to protect their fellow Canadians” overnight. Flags will be flown at half-mast to mourn the victims.

Emergency resources were mobilised from across Alberta and nearby provinces to address the fire and treat the injured.

Given the number of victims, several were reportedly transported to the Alberta cities of Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary.

Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, located 180km (112 miles) northwest of the base, told Canada’s national broadcaster that healthcare facilities around the base have been “completely overwhelmed” by the number of people needing care.

“This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton,” Thirsk told CBC News. “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.”

Rutland said Saturday’s training activities had included the use of grenades and live ammunition. But he emphasised that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

“During the conduct of a training, a grass fire ignited in the training area. The cause of this fire is under active investigation. What I would say is that there was multiple training activities throughout the training area at the time,” Rutland said.

“Uncommonly strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly and shift direction towards the range administrative area.”

Weather forecasts had anticipated strong winds on the day the fire broke out. Asked by a reporter whether protocols had been properly followed, Rutland said the weather had been “well within” established guidelines for most of the day.

Rutland added that an inquiry into the incident was expected to take at least a month, given the complexity of the event and the severity of the casualties.

“I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” Minister of National Defence David McGuinty said, adding that the situation was “very, very active and delicate”.

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said he spoke to Carney and McGuinty to offer support. “Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” he wrote on social media, urging people in the area to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders.

The weekend fire erupted days before Monday’s vote on whether Alberta, home to about five million people, should begin the legal process towards seceding from Canada.

Smith, the province’s premier, said on Sunday that election authorities in Alberta had diverted people in the impacted area to other polling stations.

Carney has opposed the push for secession, which is non-binding at present but would lead to a binding vote later on.

In his address on Sunday, he praised Alberta for its fortitude in the face of crisis. “The people of Wainwright are taking care of their own,” Carney added on Sunday.

He also pledged that the government would care for the wounded throughout their recovery and stand by members of the armed forces as they grieve.

“Those we lost, those who were injured, were training to defend Canada — to serve Canada. And now Canada serves them,” Carney said.