Families Honor Soldiers Killed in CFB Wainwright Fire

Families and colleagues are mourning four Canadian Armed Forces members killed when a fast-moving grass fire swept through a training area at CFB Wainwright in east-central Alberta at approximately 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 17. The deaths have prompted tributes to the soldiers' military service, family bonds and contributions to their communities.

The Canadian Armed Forces identified the deceased as Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte.

Aidan Goulding and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark. Dozens of other people were injured in the incident, according to reports from CBC News and Global News.

Wong, 26, was from Edmonton and served with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. His family said he joined the military in 2017, earned a bachelor of commerce from the University of Alberta and worked as a financial analyst and manager for the Alberta government.

Wong previously served on Operation Reassurance in Latvia from October 2024 to June 2025. According to his family, he was preparing for a second deployment to Europe when the fire occurred.

In a statement shared by the Canadian Armed Forces, Wong's family expressed their pride and affection for him.

"We loved Morgan very much and we are extremely proud of him," his family said.

The family also described his willingness to support others throughout his life.

"He was an incredible person who was always there whenever anyone needed him," the statement said.

Beyond his military career, Wong volunteered as a medical first responder with St. John Ambulance beginning in 2022. Rhyneice Cook, the organization's community services and emergency response unit coordinator in Edmonton, told CBC News that he regularly assisted at public events and earned the respect of fellow volunteers.

Cook described Wong as a steady presence whose leadership extended beyond his military responsibilities.

"He had this real presence about him and we're definitely going to miss that on our team," she said.

Cook said Wong had been enthusiastic about his promotion to sergeant and the responsibilities that came with the rank. Volunteers were discussing ways to commemorate his life and support families of injured service members still recovering in hospital.

Goulding, 23, was from North Vancouver, British Columbia, and served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. His mother, Sonia Monk, said his death had deeply affected their family and remembered his close ties to fellow soldiers.

"Losing Aidan has left a huge hole in our family," Monk said.

She also recalled his ability to bring happiness to those around him and said the family took comfort in knowing he died alongside fellow members of his military unit.

"He was the one who made us laugh and made us proud and made us incredibly resourceful.

We can rest in the thought that he died with his brothers. He loved his army family just as much as he loved us. I’m thankful that every conversation we had there was an ‘I love you’ at the end," Monk said.

Goulding's brother, Wylder, described their relationship as exceptionally close and said his brother had inspired him.

"My beautiful brother, no one will ever truly understand the bond Aidan and I shared," Wylder said.

He remembered Goulding's personality and the effect he had on people around him.

"You could walk into a room and light it up with his big bright eyes and his contagious laugh. He had a way of making everything brighter just by being there," Wylder said.

Lykkemark, 19, was from Langley, British Columbia, and also served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. His death made him one of two service members from British Columbia identified among the four fatalities.

Officials said a sudden shift in wind direction and strength caused the grass fire to spread rapidly across a large area of the military base, overwhelming soldiers during the training exercise. Investigators said determining how the fire began could take weeks, while families of those injured continued to focus on their recovery.