Saskatchewan family grieving as four soldiers confirmed dead in Wainwright tragedy - WestCentralOnline

WAINWRIGHT — Residents of a central Alberta town are grieving after a vicious fire killed four men and injured dozens more at a nearby military base, but living alongside soldiers preparing for battle has built up a deep stoicism and resilience in the community. “It’s heartbreaking. My heart goes out to the families but we’ll bounce back,” said Sharon Pashko, 79, whose uncle was once commander of CFB Wainwright.

WAINWRIGHT — Residents of a central Alberta town are grieving after a vicious fire killed four men and injured dozens more at a nearby military base, but living alongside soldiers preparing for battle has built up a deep stoicism and resilience in the community. “It’s heartbreaking. My heart goes out to the families but we’ll bounce back,” said Sharon Pashko, 79, whose uncle was once commander of CFB Wainwright.

The military let training continue at CFB Wainwright on Saturday even though a fire had been burning on the base since noon and forecasts had already warned of high winds, dry conditions and an approaching cold front. Hours later, a grass fire overtook soldiers during a live-fire exercise at the base, about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, killing four members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and injuring 39, 19 of them critically. The military says a sudden shift in wind turned a fire it believed was contained into a deadly one. “The fire was a kilometre away when the wind shifted. It is not normal for a fire to move a kilometre in 30 to 60 seconds,” said Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division. But satellite imagery reviewed by Global News and weather records reveal warning signs around four hours before the blaze expanded. Story continues below advertisement

PEIA mother in Prince Edward Island says support from other military families helped her through the fear and uncertainty after the deadly incident at the Canadian Armed Forces base in Wainwright, Alta., where her son was taking part in training. Lynn Bradley says the incident made her reflect on the risks military members face, even during trainingThinh Nguyen · CBC News · Posted: Oct 20, 2026 9:25 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.'I wasn't prepared really for any risk because he was there on a training course,' says Lynn Bradley, whose son was at CFB Wainwright for training when a deadly fire broke out at the military base. (Thinh Nguyen/CBC)A mother in Prince Edward Island says support from other military families helped her through the fear and uncertainty after the deadly incident at the Canadian Armed Forces base in Wainwright, Alta., where her son was taking part in training. Lynn Bradley was home in Cornwall, P. E. I., when she heard about the incident.

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Legendary Canadian basketball player Steve Nash is feeling bullish on the Toronto Raptors this season. The Hall of Famer from Victoria said that the addition of Kawhi Leonard, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, to the Raptors’ roster will take Toronto to a new level. In particular, Nash likes that the oft-injured Leonard played in 65 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. “He’s a player that last year was about as healthy as he’s been for a number of years. He played at an All-NBA level,” said Nash in a recent interview with The Canadian Press. “He’s incredibly efficient. He can play with the ball and be the focal point. He can play off the ball, for example, when Scottie Barnes is doing what he does. “He’s a two-way player. He gives them perimeter size, strength, rebounding defence, along with the scoring and that focal point gives them a closer.” Story continues below advertisement