A major fire at CFB Wainwright has prompted responses from both the Alberta and federal governments, with leaders describing Saturday’s incident as serious and affecting military personnel at the base.
Premier Danielle Smith said Alberta’s government is learning more about what she called a “significant and tragic fire” at the Canadian Forces, located about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
“We are learning of a significant and tragic fire at CFB Wainwright today that is affecting many of our brave military personnel,” Smith said in a post on social media.
Smith said Alberta officials are in close contact with the federal government and Prime Minister Mark Carney as the situation continues to develop.
The prime minister also issued a statement, describing the event as “a serious incident creating a major fire” at the base.
“Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,” Carney said.
Neither government provided details on the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage, or whether anyone was injured.
The Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire crossed the base fence and is being actively managed. The active fire area is south of Township Road 44-0, with firefighting resources from multiple jurisdictions responding.
Officials said no evacuation order is in place at this time, with emergency crews focused on protecting lives, homes, and other structures.
Residents are being asked to avoid the area, keep roads clear for emergency vehicles and refrain from visiting the Wainwright Health Centre unless they have a critical medical need.
CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s largest military training facilities and is located in east-central Alberta. Authorities have not yet released additional information about the fire.
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