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Canadians step up to give blood after fire at Alberta military base kills four
Deadly military base fire prompts blood donations
THE CANADIAN PRESS/James Maclennan
Some Canadians are rolling up their sleeves to give blood as the military town of Wainwright, Alta., mourns the four soldiers killed in a weekend training exercise gone fatally wrong.
Defence officials have said 84 members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were in a training area of CFB Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, when disaster struck Saturday.
Strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire across the Prairie landscape at lightning speed, stopping soldiers in their tracks and sending 39 to hospital, 19 critically.
Among the dead are Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton, Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Sask., Pte. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, B.C.
Defence Minister David McGuinty says people have been lining up to donate blood, bring meals to first responders, and open their homes to those grieving.
Canadian Blood Services says in a statement that people who want to help by donating blood are encouraged to do so in the coming days and weeks.
"We are closely monitoring the needs of patients and hospitals in Alberta and will continue to work with health system partners to ensure those needs are met," the non-profit says in the post on its website.
CFB Wainwright is 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. It is one of Canada's busiest bases and is used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations.
Canada's military has said that the grass fire was known well beforehand but, at roughly a kilometre away, was not considered a threat.
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, told reporters Sunday that the 84 members of 3rd Battalion were doing two exercises at the time.
Most were throwing hand grenades on a range, while 10 soldiers were doing a simulated attack on an enemy.
What happened next is an anomaly, he said.
"I spoke to my commander on the ground. He said within 30 seconds to a minute they saw no fire, and then there was a fire right on top of them," he told a news conference.
Medical personnel from neighbouring areas, including Saskatchewan, were called in. Some were seen parachuting into the base. Alberta health officials invoked a critical Code Orange — a call for hospitals to find staff and free up beds to handle a mass casualty incident — that has since been called off.
Rutland said there would be a full investigation, adding that there's a lot to consider: Did the fire move that quickly because of the wind? Did it move unseen through foliage to surprise the soldiers? Was it both?
Premier Danielle Smith confirmed at the news conference that many of the injured have serious burns. Hospitals in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer are treating the wounded.
Flags on provincial and federal buildings have been lowered to half-mast to pay tribute to the deceased.
The tragedy comes as Albertans head to the polls Monday for a referendum that, among other things, asks whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or hold a second, binding vote on leaving.
McGuinty said those affected were soldiers and reservists from across the country.
"This loss reaches communities in every province," he said.
Earlier Sunday in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the "worst tragedies for the (Armed Forces) on Canadian soil in peacetime."
Asked what she makes of the reaction by those across the country, Smith said Alberta has a long and proud history of supporting the Canadian Armed Forces.
Shortly after Alberta was brought under Confederation in 1905, thousands of residents enlisted in the military to fight in the First World War, Smith said.
"We were very honoured to have been able to assist at a terrible time for the Armed Forces. And we're very honoured as well now to be giving all of those soldiers who are injured the very best care," she said.
"And I think we're all very, very hopeful for a full recovery of everyone."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
— With files from Jack Farrell, Fakiha Baig and Aaron Sousa in Edmonton
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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This beautiful Ontario park has 20 km of silky shores and a floating boardwalk trail
It has dreamy fall views. 🍂
Ontario has no shortage of beautiful parks to explore, and if you're looking for somewhere truly special to check out, you'll want to add this spot to your plans.
With silky shorelines, shimmering waters, stunning trails, and floating boardwalks, it's a magical place to enjoy the outdoors.
The area is beautiful during the fall, when its forests burst with colour and crisp leaves coat the ground.
Point Pelee National Park is a scenic gem located along Lake Erie's shoreline in Essex County, about 3 and a half hours from Toronto.
According to Visit Windsor Essex, it's "a tiny sanctuary" with a "jungle-like forest" and smooth-sand beaches.
The park sits at the southernmost tip of mainland Canada, and you can reach the point on foot by following the Tip Trail. The easy one-kilometre loop takes around 30 minutes to complete.
You don't want to miss out on the Tip Tower, a 24-metre observation tower on the shores of Lake Erie. The lookout has 144 steps to the top and offers 360-degree views of Lake Erie and vibrant fall foliage.
You can also take in the autumn scenery from the Marsh Boardwalk, a floating wooden pathway complete with a smaller observation tower and telescope.
The Woodland Nature Trail is another spot to explore during the fall. It leads through the oldest forest habitat in the park and takes about an hour to complete.
Other scenic autumn hikes include the Tilden Woods Trail and DeLaurier Homestead & Trail.
Keep an eye out for birds during your visit. Point Pelee National Park is a birdwatching hotspot, especially during migration season. Sitting along Lake Erie at the crossroads of major migratory routes, the park attracts a large variety of birds passing through the region.
More than 390 bird species have been recorded in the Point Pelee Birding Area, making it an ideal destination for spotting everything from seasonal visitors to rare feathered friends.
October brings opportunities to spot Peregrine Falcons, while Golden Eagles begin passing through later in the month. By November, the skies fill with migrating waterfowl, including large flocks of geese.
Some birds may stick around into the colder months if temperatures and conditions stay mild enough.
Winter turns the park into a snowy escape, with opportunities to snowshoe, trek winter trails, or go cross-country skiing.
Keep in mind that trails aren't maintained during the winter, so be sure to review the park's winter safety guidelines before setting out.
If you're looking for a beautiful spot to explore this fall, Point Pelee boasts scenic shorelines, boardwalk trails, vibrant trees, and more.
Point Pelee National Park
Price: $10 per adult
Address: 1118 Point Pelee Dr, Leamington, ON
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Alberta pro-unity rally held in wake of CFB Wainwright fire on final day before vote
Albertan pro-unity rally held in wake of tragedy
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Timon Johnson
The leader of Alberta's flagship federalist referendum campaign is urging Albertans to keep in mind the privileges the Canadian military affords them after tragedy struck yesterday in the province.
Four military members were killed and dozens more seriously injured following a violent fire at CFB Wainwright, a massive military training base about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
Thomas Lukaszuk, leader of the Forever Canadian group, told pro-unity demonstrators at the legislature it was a "difficult day" to hold a rally, but it's because of soldiers training across the country that Albertans are able to gather in protest.
Attendees waved Canadian flags strapped to hockey sticks, wore red and white, and hoisted signs denouncing Premier Danielle Smith's referendum and encouraging Albertans to "fight back!"
Tomorrow, voters go to the polls to decide if Alberta should stay in Canada or if it's time for a second, binding referendum on leaving Confederation.
The rally, spearheaded by the Alberta Federation of Labour, comes a day after separatists assembled at the legislature with blue Alberta flags to cheer for independence.
On Sunday, Federation leader Gil McGowan led the crowd in a moment of silence for first responders and those killed or injured in Wainwright.
He said fellow Canadians responded to the call for help when it came.
"That's why we are stronger together in one Canadian federation,” he said to cheers and applause.
Premier Smith has said she wants Alberta to remain in Canada, but the vote was necessary to finally put the question of independence to rest.
Polls across the province will be open Monday from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Results on the independence question are expected to start trickling out in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2026.
By Lisa Johnson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Tony Romo Proved He’s The Best Sports Commentator Last Night With His Hilarious 'Rocky' Quotes
If you're familiar with the Dallas Cowboys, then you're familiar with Tony Romo, it's just that simple. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has taken up several hobbies since his days on the field, including sports commentating! After lots of practice, "Tony Romo" and "sports commentator" have become something you can often hear in the same sentence and he was hitting an ultimate high last night.
Fans had a lot of good things to say about Romo's commentating skills last night, especially with him throwing in the enthusiastic Rocky reference.
We'll get to that later.
It's not uncommon to see former NFL players on the other side of the sports world once their career on the field comes to an end, but it is worth celebrating when they end up being great at it.
When you're as big of a legend as Romo is, you certainly have the upper hand.
Twitter user CoachTeixeira tweeted "Tony romo with the greatest commentary of all time!"
They followed up their claim with a line that Romo used during his commentary of the Texan game. "'It’s like watching Rocky when he’s getting punched over and over, he’s not losing he’s getting mad!'”
If there's an easy way to win people's hearts when it comes to commentating, it's quoting one of the greatest movies ever made.
Certainly, other factors play a role, such as voice, tone, and overall knowledge of the sport that's being broadcast.
Sports fans are a tough crowd to please, so sometimes even that isn't enough!
Twitter user aubreyybadger tweeted "Me listening to any other commentator vs. me listening to Tony Romo," with a hilarious dog meme below it.
The dog is clearly upset in the first photo, and blissful in the second.
Now that Romo has gotten such a great reaction from fans, his current free agent status may be changing very soon.
Rumors have it that ESPN is preparing a massive offer for Romo to leave CBS as an analyst and become the lead analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football."
It'd be silly for him to turn it down, so it's just a matter of time before he's back in the big leagues!
Like @DavidWysong_ tweeted above, "Every game is 100 times better when Tony Romo is commentating it."
You've got that right!