CFB Wainwright fire investigation findings will be made public, top commander commits

The investigation into the CFB Wainwright fire that killed four Canadian Armed Forces members on October 17 will be made public when complete, Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canada's chief of the defence staff, committed Monday on a reporter & Politics.

The four soldiers — Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark — were killed when a brush fire swept through a training area where about 84 troops from C Company, 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were conducting hand grenade and small group attack exercises. Thirty-nine others were injured, 19 critically.

Three parallel investigations are underway: a military investigative service probe, a board of inquiry examining the technical circumstances, a civilian coroner's investigation by Alberta, and review by the Canadian Forces fire marshal. The RCMP is assisting Alberta's medical examiner.

Carignan said she is drafting the terms of reference for the board of inquiry and wants it to "start on firm ground." She could not commit to a timeline for when the board will convene. The commitment to release findings is significant: military boards of inquiry typically report only to the defence chief and minister, with no public disclosure. After the 2004 fatal fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi, findings were released only after public pressure.

On the training decision itself, Carignan said range safety officers on the ground determine whether exercises can continue during fire conditions. "We have firefighting equipment or support on site to respond to potential fires, of course, depending on the magnitude," she said, noting that training during brush fires adds realistic conditions troops would face in combat. "Limits and safety is paramount."

Retired colonel and former military lawyer Rory Fowler cautioned that the public should temper expectations about what the board's report will reveal, particularly regarding blame.