A devastating wildfire swept through a major military base in Canada's Alberta province on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of seven service members. The catastrophic incident has been described by leaders of the Canadian regime as one of the worst peacetime disasters in the nation's military history, plunging the armed forces into deep mourning.
According to official accounts, the blaze allegedly originated from dry grass catching fire roughly one kilometer away from the base perimeter. The flames then rapidly tore across the training grounds of Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, situated approximately 210 kilometers east of Edmonton. Military exercises were actively underway at the facility when the fire broke out.
Major-General Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Division based in Edmonton, claimed that wind gusts reaching 96 kilometers per hour drove the rapid spread of the fire. Rutland reportedly described the sudden surge of flames as an "extraordinary and ferocious" event, asserting that the wall of fire crossed a distance of one kilometer in just 30 to 60 seconds. The general stated that authorities had purportedly never witnessed such unprecedented speed in a grassland fire before.
In addition to the fatalities, 39 individuals were rushed to hospitals with severe injuries, with at least 19 reported to be in critical condition. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith indicated that many of the survivors will require specialized intensive medical care for weeks or even months to come. Authorities have begun releasing the names of the victims, including Sergeant Morgan Wong and Privates Sean Farrell, Aidan Gulding, and Hayden Lickemark.
Reports further reveal that at the time the fire erupted, 85 soldiers from a light infantry battalion were undergoing high-intensity tactical training utilizing live ammunition at the range. These troops were supposedly scheduled to deploy to Latvia as part of Canada's largest overseas military mission. The exercises reportedly involved the use of grenade launchers, grenades, and standard firearms.
Source: kun.uz