The fire broke out at CFB Wainwright, one of Canada's busiest military training bases, and spread rapidly due to high winds, crossing the base's fence, according to the Municipal District of Wainwright. The district first posted about the incident at about 17:30 local time (23:30 GMT). McGuinty said at a press conference that the Canadian Armed Forces were working with federal, provincial and local authorities to manage the fire and investigate its cause. He did not provide casualty figures or details on what caused the blaze. The nearby community of Wainwright was providing hospital and firefighting support.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said on social media that a 'serious incident creating a major fire' had occurred and offered his thoughts to those affected. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as 'significant and tragic' and said it was affecting many military personnel. Provincial authorities were coordinating with the central government on the response and investigation.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, about 180km south-east of Edmonton, is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre. It typically hosts about 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers on site each day. Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and McGuinty to offer support and urged people in the area to follow emergency instructions. Neighbouring provinces offered assistance, with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe deploying resources and British Columbia Premier David Eby saying his government had reached out to offer help. No evacuation order was in effect as of Saturday evening.