Military Orders Urged Early Firing Exercises at Wainwright

Canadian military safety regulations identify October as a high-risk period for grass fires and recommend conducting live-fire exercises early in the morning, according to documents obtained by Global News. The rules raise questions about precautions at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta before a fire on Saturday killed four soldiers and injured 39 others, as high winds and an approaching cold front affected the area.

The 139-page Range Standing Orders recommend that units conducting live-fire training between August and October schedule firing early, when fire danger is generally lower. The document states that conditions are normally suitable for most types of ammunition before approximately 10 a.m.

The fire erupted at approximately 4 p.m., around six hours after the recommended training window ended. The regulations also require personnel to report grass fires immediately, monitor their development and assess weather conditions, with provisions for suspending training when safety is threatened.

The document states, "Safety is the responsibility of every individual participating in training."

Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, described the fire's development during a news conference Sunday. He said the blaze had burned for several hours before engulfing military units at approximately 4 p.m.

Rutland said training continued for a period because commanders believed the fire was contained. The fire struck a unit conducting a simulated enemy assault that involved hand grenades, while multiple types of ammunition were being used in the training area.

Rutland described the weapons activity in the area, stating, "a multitude of ordinates moving through the Wainwright area yesterday," including a grenade launcher, grenades, small arms and ammunition.

He also said the blaze overran a unit whose members were throwing hand grenades and conducting a section attack against a simulated enemy. The circumstances have raised questions about how the fire was assessed and managed while training continued.

Global News reported that NASA satellite data it had previously analyzed indicated possible fire activity on the base four hours before the deadly incident. It remains unclear whether those detections were associated with the fire that killed the soldiers.

The military's standing orders establish four fire-danger classifications: low, moderate, high and extreme. Range Control, which oversees training activities, displays warnings and updates designated access routes according to conditions.

During extreme fire danger, the rules prohibit pyrotechnics, tracer rounds and white phosphorus unless specific site waivers authorize their use. Provincial data and the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System rated wildfire danger as extreme across much of southern Alberta on Saturday, although those assessments do not necessarily match the military's classification system.

An internal memo issued Sunday by the military's Strategic Joint Staff rated the fire risk as low. The document does not establish whether that assessment covered the same conditions or used the same criteria as the provincial wildfire ratings.

The standing orders also require grass and brush fires to be reported immediately to Range Control, which must notify the fire department and range warden. The reporting unit must provide updates on the fire's intensity, direction and speed, while the warden coordinates the response and evaluates conditions.

If a fire is declared out of control, additional resources, including troops or helicopters, may be deployed with authorization from the operations officer. Range Control receives weather forecasts at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to the document, and must distribute warnings of adverse conditions promptly.

The rules assign the initial decision to stop or modify training to the chain of command when adverse weather could affect operations. In extreme circumstances, the base commander makes the final decision in consultation with affected units.

The Office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal declined to answer Global News' questions about the regulations, citing the ongoing investigation. The document provided to the outlet is dated 2024 and requires annual review and reissuance following a change of command.

It remains unclear whether updated orders were issued after the most recent change of command or whether the 2024 regulations were still in force when the fire occurred.