Four service members died in a fire that broke out at one of Canada’s main military bases on Oct. 17, according to Prime Minister Mark Carney. Officials are continuing to assess the damage and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the deadly blaze.
Carney made a statement at midday Sunday about what he described as a “violent, fast-moving fire” that left dozens wounded.
“What followed was one of the worst tragedies for forces on Canadian soil in peacetime,” he said.
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Canada Defense Minister David McGuinty similarly underscored the severity of the incident in a video statement on Oct. 17. “I cannot recall an incident like this,” he said, describing the event as “very active and delicate.”
On Sunday, the military said there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism. TIME has reached out to Canada’s Department of National Defence for more information.
Here’s what to know about the event as it unfolds.
What is known about the fire incident at CFB Wainwright
A fire “ignited” within the training area of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright in the late afternoon on Oct. 17, according to a statement from the Canadian Armed Forces.
The flames eventually “spread rapidly due to high winds,” the district said in a Facebook post that evening. The fire extended beyond the base and toward the adjacent Municipal District of Wainwright.
In a subsequent update, the district said that the fire was being held.
The Canadian Armed Forces said that injury and fatality details would be confirmed after next-of-kin have been notified. McGuinty did not provide details about what might have started the blaze; however, he said that an investigation would be launched.
The Defense Minister is currently en route to Edmonton. He said he had spoken with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Carney had recently returned to Ottawa after a visit to Alberta as the province prepares to vote on Monday about whether they want to begin the legal process of potentially separating from Canada.
What is CFB Wainwright?
CFB Wainwright is one of the country’s “busiest” army bases, located over 100 miles southeast of the Alberta province capital Edmonton.
The base hosts the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, and it is the “preferred” training ground for army field force units based in Western Canada.
“Our country depends on the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces,” Carney said on Sunday, “and CFB Wainwright is where the women and men of our armed forces learn to do the hardest things this country can ask of anyone.”
Retired Major-General Denis Thompson spoke to CBC on Sunday about the training he had experienced at Wainwright, which included “large formations … bringing together infantry, foot soldiers, with artillery” in large-scale live-fire training that sometimes include air-dropped munitions.
“You're trying to put that together in order to conduct complex operations in as safe an environment as possible, but remember we're talking about live fire, here, to do things like breaching obstacles, which are extremely difficult,” Thompson said.
Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh told CBC on Sunday that, prior to the incident, he could hear cannon fire and weapons firing, though he noted that the sounds were not unusual for the training base. He said that the base went quiet and then the fire department was activated, and he realized then that something might have happened.
He also explained that weather conditions were a contributing factor. “October has been dry,” he observed, while acknowledging the impact of high winds.
The base employed around 1,300 military and civilian personnel, including roughly 1,070 military members, according to October 2025 figures published by the Town of Wainwright. Wainwright is home to over 6,600 people. That excludes personnel living on the base.
“We have neighbors who are either serving or former members of the Canadian Armed Forces. We’re integrated, our kids playing the same hockey teams, attend the same schools,” Pugh told CBC.
Hospitals declare ‘Code Orange’
According to CBC, Edmonton hospitals have called a code orange alert. The designation is reserved for an external disaster or mass casualty incident.
"This would be the largest mass casualty event that we have seen in this community," Push confirmed to CBC.
He went on to praise first responders working at the local hospital, which served as the initial triage point.
“Our local health care facility was the receptionary of four of those casualties,” he said.
Of the first responders at the scene, Pugh said: “They were witness to things that you would pray that you never see, or that if you do, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience of service.”
Alberta Health Services responded to a request from TIME on midday Sunday, saying: "We are working to gather additional information and will provide an update as soon as we can."
“Canadians come together in crisis,” Carney said on Sunday, commending the fast and coordinated response on the ground as the incident unfolded.
The Prime Minister Carney said he is expecting an official statement from leadership in Wainwright by Sunday afternoon.
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.
