Today, the flags of Canada and Alberts fly in memory of the four Canadian forces members who were killed and in hope for quick recovery for the 39 forces members who were injured in a wildfire incident at Canadian Forces Bas Wainwright in Alberta over the weekend.
On Saturday, October 17th, members of the Canadian Forces were conducting a live fire drill at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta when a wildfire which was burning nearby traveled one kilometer in approximately one minute and killed four service members and injured 39 others. The rapid change in the fire’s behavior was caused by a cold front which moved into the area quickly, sharply changed the wind direction, and dropped the temperature by roughly ten degrees celsius. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. On Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as one of the “…worst peacetime tragedies for Canada’s military on domestic soil.”
The four forces members who were killed were:
- Pte. Aidan Goulding
- Pte. Shaun Farrell
- Pte. Hayden Lykkemark
- Sgt. Morgan Wong
