Explosion and fire at Alberta’s CFB Wainwright, MP reporting ‘significant casualties’

WAINWRIGHT — An Alberta member of Parliament says he’s hearing there are “significant casualties” after an explosion and fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright southeast of Edmonton.

Dane Lloyd, who represents a riding west of Edmonton, asks in a social media post for people to pray for the soldiers and their families.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith also say on social media that they are in contact during the evolving situation.

STARS air ambulance says it has dispatched two air ambulances to Wainwright, from Saskatoon and Edmonton.

The base is 200 kilometres from the Alberta capital, just outside the town of Wainwright.

It’s one Canada’s busiest military training bases, used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations.

It’s also the site of the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which prepares military units to operate together in realistic battlefield conditions, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides basic infantry training.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.

The Canadian Press