Seven people have been killed and multiple people hurt after a significant fire burned at a large training area on a Canadian Forces Base in east-central Alberta on Saturday.
Fire crews scrambled late into the night as fierce winds whipped flames beyond CFB Wainwright, a massive military training base located 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
In Wainwright late Saturday, at least 10 ambulances were seen parked in and around the local health centre, red lights flashing in the darkness. Paramedics and soldiers rushed about. One patient was seen being loaded into an ambulance.
Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan said Saturday’s fire was a “profoundly difficult” event for the Armed Forces.
“While casualty identification and notification processes are ongoing, I extend my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives,” Carignan said.
CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest bases and is used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations.
It said the code is declared when health resources need to be co-ordinated to respond “to an incident that results in multiple severe patients needing care at the same time.”
The agency advised people in the Edmonton area to avoid the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department and urged those with non-emergency issues to consider other care options.
Fire crews were also battling flames raging between the base and the nearby town of Wainwright, which has about 7,000 people.
Firefighters faced a volatile situation. A windstorm hit large areas of the province during the day, with gusts up to 100 kilometres an hour. The wind toppled some trees and sent signs flying and garbage cans rolling down streets.
By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright, on social media, announced the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure were protected. No evacuation order was issued for residents.
“A fire watch will remain in place to monitor the affected area and address any changing conditions,” the statement said.
The fire also disrupted advance voting for Monday’s provincial referendum on whether Alberta should hold a binding separation vote. Elections Alberta said two advance polling locations — in Lloydminster and Vermilion — were closed early and the ballots transported securely.
As details from the incident continue to unfold, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke to media on Sunday afternoon from Ottawa
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