Some Canadians are rolling up their sleeves to give blood as the military town of Wainwright, Alta., mourns the four soldiers killed in a weekend training exercise gone fatally wrong.
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town → roll → exercise
Defence officials have said 84 members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were in a training area of CFB Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, when disaster struck Saturday.
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disaster → say → Edmonton
Strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire across the Prairie landscape at lightning speed, stopping soldiers in their tracks and sending 39 to hospital, 19 critically.
Among the dead are Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton, Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Sask., Pte. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, B.C.
Defence Minister David McGuinty says people have been lining up to donate blood, bring meals to first responders, and open their homes to those grieving.
Canadian Blood Services says in a statement that people who want to help by donating blood are encouraged to do so in the coming days and weeks.
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who → send → days
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland says flames travelled roughly a kilometre within about a minute, striking troops during an exercise.
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flames → say → exercise
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland says flames travelled roughly a kilometre within about a minute, striking troops during an exercise.
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flames → say → exercise
“We are closely monitoring the needs of patients and hospitals in Alberta and will continue to work with health system partners to ensure those needs are met,” the non-profit says in the post on its website.
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profit → monitor → website
It is one of Canada’s busiest bases and is used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations.
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It → use → operations
Canada’s military has said that the grass fire was known well beforehand but, at roughly a kilometre away, was not considered a threat.
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fire → say → ?
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, told reporters Sunday that the 84 members of 3rd Battalion were doing two exercises at the time.
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members → tell → time
Most were throwing hand grenades on a range, while 10 soldiers were doing a simulated attack on an enemy.
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soldiers → throw → enemy
What happened next is an anomaly, he said.
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he → happen → ?
“I spoke to my commander on the ground.
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I → speak → ground
He said within 30 seconds to a minute they saw no fire, and then there was a fire right on top of them,” he told a news conference.
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he → say → conference
Medical personnel from neighbouring areas, including Saskatchewan, were called in.
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personnel → include → Saskatchewan
Some were seen parachuting into the base.
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Some → see → base
Alberta health officials invoked a critical Code Orange — a call for hospitals to find staff and free up beds to handle a mass casualty incident — that has since been called off.
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that → invoke → incident
Rutland said there would be a full investigation, adding that there’s a lot to consider: Did the fire move that quickly because of the wind?
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fire → say → wind
Did it move unseen through foliage to surprise the soldiers?
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it → move → soldiers
Premier Danielle Smith confirmed at the news conference that many of the injured have serious burns.
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many → confirm → burns
Hospitals in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer are treating the wounded.
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Hospitals → treat → wounded
Flags on provincial and federal buildings have been lowered to half-mast to pay tribute to the deceased.
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Flags → lower → deceased
The tragedy comes as Albertans head to the polls Monday for a referendum that, among other things, asks whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or hold a second, binding vote on leaving.
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Alberta → come → vote
McGuinty said those affected were soldiers and reservists from across the country.
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those → say → country
“This loss reaches communities in every province,” he said.
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he → reach → province
Earlier Sunday in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the “worst tragedies for the (Armed Forces) on Canadian soil in peacetime.”
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Carney → call → peacetime
Asked what she makes of the reaction by those across the country, Smith said Alberta has a long and proud history of supporting the Canadian Armed Forces.
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Alberta → ask → Forces
Shortly after Alberta was brought under Confederation in 1905, thousands of residents enlisted in the military to fight in the First World War, Smith said.
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Smith → bring → War
“We were very honoured to have been able to assist at a terrible time for the Armed Forces.
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We → assist → Forces
And we’re very honoured as well now to be giving all of those soldiers who are injured the very best care,” she said.
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she → ’re → care
“And I think we’re all very, very hopeful for a full recovery of everyone.”
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we → think → everyone
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
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