Grass fire at Canadian military base kills 4 soldiers, injures 39
Al Jazeera Staff
A grass fire at Wainwright military base in Alberta killed four Canadian soldiers and injured 39, 19 critically, during a live-fire training exercise. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the country's worst peacetime military tragedies. Investigators are examining how the fire, whipped up by gusts of up to 100km/h, overwhelmed the soldiers.
On Saturday morning, Canadian military officers at a base in Alberta spotted a grass fire and judged it contained enough to let soldiers continue live-fire combat training. According to the officers, the wind then changed direction.
Major-General Wade Rutland said that in less than a minute, the Canadian soldiers went from a training exercise to being engulfed in flames. The incident killed four soldiers and injured 39 people, 19 of them critically.
“When the wind shifted, the fire was a kilometre away. A fire moving a kilometre in 36 seconds is unusual,” Rutland said at a news conference in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, on Sunday.
The cause of the grass fire has not been determined. Prime Minister Mark Carney described it as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for the Canadian military on Canadian territory.
Why do grass fires spread so fast?
Grass fires spread through dry grass, weeds, shrubs and low vegetation. Unlike forest fires that spread through trees, grass fires move across open fields, grasslands and flat terrain.
This type of fire can travel especially fast because dry grass ignites easily and provides a continuous fuel source, while wind plays a decisive role in how the fire develops.
Strong winds push flames rapidly across open terrain, shift direction with very little warning and carry embers ahead of the main fire, which can start new blazes.
The unpredictability of wind makes grass fires hard to predict and contain, especially in dry conditions.
Grass fires can burn for a shorter time than forest fires and are easier to contain, but their rapid spread in dry conditions can make them deadly.
Grass fires can start naturally but can also be caused by human activity, such as discarded cigarette butts or sparks from equipment.
What happened at the base
The fire spread on Saturday afternoon during intensive combat training by Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, at Wainwright base in Alberta, western Canada, about 210km southeast of Edmonton.
The area lies in prairie grassland, with wide open grassland, gently rolling hills and scattered patches of forest. The base is also one of the Canadian Army's largest training centres and a key facility for preparing soldiers for deployment.
About 84 soldiers were split between a grenade range and an area for practising assaults on simulated enemy positions. The fire swept into the second training area.
Rutland said investigators will examine whether the wind pushed the fire toward the soldiers, or whether flames spread through vegetation undetected before suddenly engulfing them.
Large areas of Alberta were affected by a windstorm with gusts of up to 100km/h. The wind knocked down trees, tore down signs and pushed the fire beyond the base into surrounding rural areas.
The fire also disrupted early voting ahead of Monday's referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to secession from Canada.
On Sunday, Canadian media reported the fire may have become more serious after a gas facility was affected during a live-fire exercise. The military later clarified that investigators do not believe any explosions were caused by oil and gas infrastructure.
Were there warnings beforehand?
Canada's Global News reported that a military memorandum it obtained said fire risk was assessed as low for the planned live-fire exercise, giving the green light for soldiers to train.
However, Environment Canada had issued a strong wind warning earlier that day, forecasting gusts of up to 100km/h in some parts of Alberta.
The memorandum also noted that fires crossed a firebreak and spread beyond the base, forcing one family to evacuate their home.
“During the training, a grass fire broke out, strong winds caused the fire to spread quickly and change direction; the fire moved toward personnel on the range and engulfed their administrative area,” the memorandum said.
Global News reported the memorandum warned the situation was “fluid” and the casualty toll “may change over time as condition assessments continue.”
Why is this base important?
Wainwright base is one of Canada's largest and most heavily used military facilities, particularly for soldier training. The base covers 609 square kilometres and has 25 ranges.
In the final months of World War II and for several months in 1946, the base was used as a detention centre for German prisoners of war.
