Four soldiers killed in grass fire at CFB Wainwright during training
A fire swept across a training range Saturday afternoon, killing four members of the Edmonton Garrison and injuring 39 others, 19 critically.
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Four Canadian Armed Forces members were killed Saturday afternoon in a grass fire at CFB Wainwright, near Wainwright, Alberta. Thirty-nine others were injured, nineteen of them critically.
The fire ignited during a live-ammunition training exercise at approximately 4 p.m. on the section attack range. Within 30 seconds to a minute, personnel on the range saw no fire, then it swept directly over them. Maj.-Gen. L.W. Rutland, Commander of 1st Canadian Division, told reporters the fire was "uncommon, rapid" and he had not seen anything like it.
The dead were identified Sunday afternoon: Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, from North Vancouver; Pte. Shaun Farrell from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark from Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong from Edmonton, serving with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. All three privates were with the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based at CFB Edmonton. The unit was conducting the exercise to prepare for a Global Response Task Force deployment to Latvia planned for April and May.
A Strategic Joint Staff memo issued Sunday said a grass fire ignited during training and strong winds caused it to spread rapidly and shift direction. Environment Canada had issued a high-wind warning for Alberta on Saturday, with gusts reaching up to 100 km/h in some parts of the province. However, Maj.-Gen. Rutland said the fire index before the exercise was low, and wind speeds were within standard protocol for the training.
Fifteen soldiers were intubated and transported to University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra hospitals in Edmonton. Response was immediate: evacuation occurred within 20 to 30 minutes of the incident being reported. The Royal Canadian Air Force dispatched 7 Griffon helicopters from Edmonton and 1 Hercules aircraft from Winnipeg. Ten search-and-rescue technicians were parachuted into the field at Wainwright. STARS air ambulances and ground ambulances from nearby towns arrived at the scene. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service and RCMP are investigating.
The facts
How many soldiers were killed in the CFB Wainwright fire?
Four Canadian Armed Forces members were killed in the grass fire at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Who were the four soldiers killed?
The deceased were Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, from North Vancouver; Pte. Shaun Farrell from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark from Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong from Edmonton, all serving with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment or Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
How many soldiers were injured?
Thirty-nine soldiers were injured, with nineteen of them critically injured. Fifteen soldiers were intubated and transported to University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra hospitals in Edmonton.
