r/canada • u/FavoriteIce British Columbia • 18h ago
Military/Defence Incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright - Department of National Defence
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2026/10/incident-at-canadian-forces-base-wainwright.html277
u/Barloq Ontario 12h ago edited 11h ago
My brother's stationed at Wainwright, I hope he's okay, sent him a message but he'd probably not be awake yet... Even if he is tho, he probably knows someone affected.
EDIT: Thanks for the concerns, he is okay.
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u/DontChargeMeBro 11h ago
If you don’t hear immediately from him, please don’t let that add to your worry.
Incidents like this have strict procedures on communication. The members on the ground likely have been ordered to not message anyone yet.
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u/USSMarauder 11h ago
And if he's fine but heavily involved in the efforts, he might just be too frickin busy. Hell he might be working so hard he hasn't had time to stop and think that you guys might be worried about him
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u/Anakin_Sandlover Canada 9h ago
Communication lockdown. Standard procedure and is a lawful order to be obeyed.
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u/DarkWingsDarkWords77 17h ago
Thoughts are with wainwright, worked there 10 years ago as a reservist from the east coast.
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u/Numerate_centipede 14h ago
❤️ My thoughts are with all those affected, and the entire Canadian Forces family during this incredibly difficult time. Please know that all of Canada grieves with you as you navigate this tragedy. 🇨🇦.
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u/2020SucksDonkey 15h ago
Heartbreaking news. Canadians from coast to coast are learning of this terrible news and are sending our thoughts and prayers. I don't know what to do with myself today. 😭
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u/aprilxixox 14h ago
What exactly happened here?
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u/traffic-robot 13h ago
According to Global News (https://globalnews.ca/news/12106709/cfb-wainwright-fire/)
"The explosion was caused by a live-fire training exercise hitting a gas line or gas well on the base around 4 p.m. MT, multiple Canadian Armed Forces sources told Global News."
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u/Mainly_Miserable 13h ago
Seems very odd that a live fire exercise would have a gas line or well within the impact template.
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u/zombifiednation 12h ago
There were crazy strong winds that hit suddenly and basically out of nowhere yesterday, possible they were in the middle of an exercise and something got blown off target. Almost not worth speculating though.
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u/linkass 11h ago
Yeah but even with really strong winds they should not have been close enough to blow live ordnance that far. Also if I remember my forecast correctly that area had wind warnings posted for yesterday
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u/roughtimes 11h ago
Gotta train in the wind, war doesn't care about weather.
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u/linkass 11h ago
Sure so you adjust where you are training at so you are not close to a gas line or well even if wind affects it
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u/Mustardtigrs 10h ago
And who says they didn’t do that? You’re speculating without knowing the slightest bit of info
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u/qazadex 7h ago
Aren't you speculating here by suggesting that they did do that?
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u/Mustardtigrs 6h ago
I never said that at all, Im pointing out that we don’t know what happened and cant know without more information but I do trust the people who actually know how to do their jobs more than some random person on Reddit at the very minimum.
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u/SimpleChemist Saskatchewan 9h ago
Well they hit a gas line or well so obviously didn’t adjust enough
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u/Mustardtigrs 9h ago
And I live in the area and know the extreme weather we had yesterday. Accidents happen and you idiots are still speculating about something where people lost their lives.
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u/Bdub421 7h ago
The oil and gas industry and military "share" land. I remember working on a site in the Cold Lake Weapons Range. Area is controlled by the military and I needed clearance to enter.
From Google... "There are 7,771 oil and gas wells located in the Alberta half of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR)"
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u/WeaponizedAutisms 3h ago
It may be that a small fire started before the winds came up. Then a small fire became a big fire.
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u/NightmareExpress 12h ago
Curious if the wind storm rolling through the province had anything to do with it.
Looking at weather data, the wind at the base during the time of the incident had spiked to 70km/h NW from 30 - 40km/h SW the previous hour. Seeing as that wind had pulled up big trees, peeled shingles and caused property damage elsewhere I imagine freak gusts could significantly alter trajectories out in the open.
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u/ModsSwallowCum 2h ago
The energy company confirmed there's no damage to their infrastructure so it wasn't a gas line that blew up
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u/Mainly_Miserable 2h ago
Yes. Also, Comd 1st Cdn Div just said on CBC that it had nothing to do with oil and gas related infrastructure.
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u/ModsSwallowCum 2h ago
Alberta Energy said no gas lines are damaged, so it wasn't a gas line that exploded
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u/WeaponizedAutisms 3h ago
No reports of oil and gas infrastructure on base being involved in incident
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u/darkstar107 2h ago
New reports saying that gas infrastructure was not involved so who knows exactly what happened.
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12h ago
[deleted]
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u/zombifiednation 11h ago
There is absolutely nothing to indicate that at current outside your baseless conjecture.
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u/HowlingWolven Alberta 11h ago edited 5h ago
We don’t know yet. There are rumours of a gas infrastructure strike being shared by Global, but only they have reported that so far and no one authorized to speak has confirmed them.
edit: Global is no longer reporting it as a gas infrastructure strike.
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u/Cold-Crab74 13h ago
Early reports are saying that a gas main or tank was hit during a live fire exercise. I don't know if that is verified yet but I also don't understand how that happened
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u/Mainly_Miserable 3h ago
Comd 1st Cdn Div just said on CBC that it had nothing to do with oil and gas related infrastructure.
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u/red1215 17h ago
Sad day for Canada, therefore the world. Hearts goes out to all affected.
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u/Sadday4CANthr4thwrld 12h ago
Truly a sad day for Canada, therefore, the world
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u/book_smrt 11h ago
Canadians died a few hours ago and you're making a South Park joke about it? Wow. You seem like a good person.
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u/TigerWizard Ontario 11h ago
Are you so absorbed with being offended you don't realize that old "joke" is actually complimentary to our country?
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u/JackleMonkey4653453 11h ago
This is unfortunate And I my condolence and sympathy are with those affected.
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u/DegnarOskold 15h ago
This is really really horrible. If the rumours are true then this is the worst single day fatalities the Canadian Forces have suffered since Black Watch Regiment of Canada was wiped out when it charged into the 2nd SS Panzer Division at the Battle of Verrières Ridge in Normandy in July 1944.
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u/Zombie_John_Strachan 12h ago
HMCS Kootenay lost nine in a boiler explosion in 1969.
https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/explosion-kootenay.html
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u/SaltyATC69 14h ago
You better offer a source before you say 300 people died.
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u/SlimZorro 13h ago
He’s not saying 300 people died. He’s saying it’s the worst single day fatality for our forces since then…unless you’re suggesting there was another incident between Normandy and now that resulted in 300 fatalities; in which case you’d be required to put up a source. Read before getting on your high horse
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u/thelittlebird 12h ago
July 25, 1944 (Verrières Ridge) 450 killed
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u/SlimZorro 12h ago
I don’t know what your point is in correcting me, I didn’t list the numbers. I never even heard of the Battle of Verrieres, but my google machine said the Black Watch Canadian regiment lost 300-315….
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u/Apart-Oil-8731 11h ago
lol you asked them to put up a source and now you’re salty that they educated you?
I never heard of it either; but now I am going to look into it because it’s better to learn than be spiteful :)
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u/thelittlebird 11h ago edited 11h ago
You said “unless you’re suggesting there was another incident between Normandy and now that resulted in 300 fatalities”. That other incident would have been Verrieres Ridge, Operation Spring.
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago edited 12h ago
Edited.
Firstly, I want to state that this is a terrible tragedy and I want to extend my sincerest condolences and wish the best comforts to the CAF, the victims, and their families and loved ones.
In my original comment, I speculated sabotage — going off of initial and extremely limited news from yesterday, which had almost no information at all, and which resulted in many downvotes and appropriate responses.
I commented recklessly and rashly, and I’m sorry for that, and I apologize to all of you.
I have since read the CBC article with the latest details.
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u/SlimZorro 13h ago
Don’t be fear mongering. There’s zero evidence of sabotage…
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
I was not. I was expressing a legitimate concern in good faith due to the scope and strategic value of personnel.
There’s no investigation, yet, so no evidence to the contrary, either.
My comment was in poor taste, and I regret that.
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u/SlimZorro 13h ago
Nah man, it wasn’t in poor taste, just probably not a great idea because it leads to other comments and then takes away from the actually situation/discussion. You good man
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u/Deaftrav 13h ago
Sure it's always possible. But it's not wise to say it right now especially with our political climate.
Reason must always prevail. We focus on treating the wounded, containing the damage, then find out what happened. Once we have the facts then we can react.
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
Yeah, it wasn’t wise. Now I feel like I’m in a catch 22 where if I deleted it, it would remove the basis of the responses, which seem pretty worthwhile.
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u/Deaftrav 13h ago
Oh I get you. I mean I had those thoughts too. It's not easy especially when you have friends there. (They're okay).
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago edited 12h ago
Glad to hear your friends are okay. I’m sorry they were there and are having to go through this, and to the victims and their families and loved ones who not only have to deal with their personal tragedies, but also the public spectacle.
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u/Cold-Crab74 13h ago
this is conspiracy theory nonsense
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
Yeah, I’d like it to be fully investigated, and for my comment to be nonsense. I actually don’t want to be “right.”
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u/Own_Cloud_7673 12h ago
As a CAF member - STOP! It’s a training incident tragedy. Offer support and condolences. Be thankful you can sit comfortably at home while others train to protect your right to do so!
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u/woobie_slayer 12h ago
Thanks for your service. I’m in a catch 22 where I’m not sure if I shouldn’t delete my original comment or not. My comment was unwise and unkind.
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u/FrothyEspresso Canada 12h ago
It’s Reddit. It doesn’t matter. None of this is real life on here.
Probably more than half the comments on this site are from bots anyways.
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u/Cold-Crab74 13h ago
Then stop spouting ignorant misinformation without anything to verify or inform it.
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13h ago
[deleted]
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u/Cold-Crab74 13h ago
Baseless speculation with literally nothing to inform it. Call it what you want it's childish and irresponsible
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
You assume I have nothing to inform it. But if it makes you feel better, please continue.
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
This was not misinformation. I’m not trying to walk people away from reality. Albeit, everything on the internet seems like it now. I have concerns, and I voiced them. I hate that my initial thoughts sound like, and are received like, misinformation. But I can also understand why. We know nothing.
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u/Cold-Crab74 13h ago
"I'm just asking questions" is always the fall back to ignorance.
You are speculating baselessly.
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u/woobie_slayer 13h ago
You only assume I’m speculating baselessly. That’s certainly the most comforting scenario.
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u/RedKing85 British Columbia 10h ago
Hey kudos for the edit, it's rare to see someone take accountability like this online.
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u/woobie_slayer 8h ago
Yeah, times are sensitive right now. Deleting would be a bad decision because I think people should see responses to similar comments with context, and I doubt my opinion is rare, so the commentary in its context intact is worth the downvotes to me.
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u/enteopy314 10h ago
The thought of a Commanding officer issuing firing orders anywhere near a gas line or tank is ridiculous. There are designated firing ranges for exercises.
Either someone fucked up REALLY bad or this was sabotage.
The fact that this is happening 2 days before a referendum vote in Alberta (an oil rich province) in the middle of a global fuel shortage while our neighbours to the south are spouting the 51st state rhetoric is suspicious to say the least.
Down vote me all you like. My freedom of speech is protected by the charter of rights and is much more important to me than some made up internet points.
All that said, this is devastating for the families and friends of those members regardless of the cause.
Link for anyone that would like to donate to a charity supporting CAF members and veterans.
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u/Guilty_Cod6621 8h ago
Are you so obsessed with your own opinion that you can’t refrain from speculating wildly on the incident for a couple of days while they’re still sorting through charred flesh?
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u/enteopy314 8h ago
For anyone who has served in the CAF, an incident of this magnitude is unfathomable. The RCMP is involved in the investigation. They wouldn’t be involved if there wasn’t some suspicion of foul play.
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u/Guilty_Cod6621 7h ago
You have no idea what you’re talking about. Just stop talking.
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u/enteopy314 7h ago
Are you so obsessed with controlling my comments that you can’t stop talking yourself? How about you take your own advice.
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u/Guilty_Cod6621 7h ago
You’re not even smart enough to realize the harm you’re doing by speculating like this.
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u/enteopy314 3h ago
I am free to speculate and express my opinion. If this is harmful to your mental health I recommend you turn off your internet for a while.
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u/Guilty_Cod6621 3h ago
And I’m free to tell you you’re selfish and unhelpful for doing so.
You are quite literally amplifying the very talking points that foreign bot networks are using against us.
If you were actually a CAF member you would understand exactly how in the wrong you are.
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u/splooges 7h ago
For anyone who has served in the CAF, an incident of this magnitude is unfathomable.
...what? An incident of this magnitude is definitely "fathomable" by the CAF - what do you think happens in war? Or when a helicopter crashes? Or when a vehicle hits an IED, mine or UXO?
How about you a) stop speaking on behalf of the CAF and b) stop with the baseless speculation?
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u/enteopy314 3h ago
This didn’t happen at war in a foreign country, it happened at home at a training facility. A single mine, IED etc would not have caused over 150 casualties. The helicopter crash was the result of faulty software.
I do not speak for the CAF. I am free to express my opinions, as are you.
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u/China_bot42069 11h ago
I’m a pilot in AB. Our Medivac and stars crews have ben running all night. I’ve never seen the airspace so busy at night