Fact File: Misinformation spreads after deadly fire at CFB Wainwright
A fire that tore through a Canadian Armed Forces training ground in Wainwright, Alta., on Saturday killed four soldiers and injured 39 others. False and misleading claims about the fire and its cause spread online this week. Here is a look at some of them.
THE CLAIM
On X, a post that described supposed details of the fire received around 11,000 likes.
The post claimed someone shot a high explosive round that went off course and struck a gas well, which then exploded and started the fatal fire. The post also claimed the explosion destroyed three structures with about 300 soldiers inside.
Similar posts on X and Facebook suggested the fire was caused by a live fire drill triggering the explosion of a gas well.
THE FACTS
Defence officials have not released the official cause of the fire.
Early news reports in the immediate aftermath of the fire did suggest a gas well could have been involved.
Global News, citing multiple military sources, initially reported that a live-fire training exercise hit a gas line or gas well on the base, causing an explosion.
Global later updated its story, writing, "A preliminary investigation suggests a munition from the live training exercise sparked a fast-moving grass fire, which caused an explosion."
The latest information from military officials as of Monday says strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire toward 84 members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who were in a training area.
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, said most of the soldiers were throwing hand grenades on a range while 10 others were doing a simulated attack on an enemy.
He said leaders were aware of the grass fire that had ignited roughly a kilometre away, but the fire was "right on top" of the group within 30 seconds to a minute.
Rutland said army officials do not believe the fire was the result of an explosion from natural gas infrastructure. A full investigation is underway.
The Alberta Energy Regulator said that while it maintains oil and natural gas infrastructure at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, it has not received reports of incidents regarding that infrastructure.
"The AER continues to monitor the situation and has not been engaged by the lead agency or other provincial agencies in any response at this time," the regulator said in a statement Sunday.
THE CLAIM
A TikTok video from Oct. 18 shows someone speaking about the incident in front of a green screen, which shows multiple separate videos. One clip shows an explosion in what appears to be a residential area; another shows a burnt landscape; other clips show large plumes of smoke.
The video received more than 200,000 views.
THE FACTS
The video of the burnt landscape was posted to an Alberta Facebook group by a user who lists the location as south of Wainwright.
But the video of the explosion is unrelated. A reverse image search shows the clip is of an explosion at an ammunitions factory in Italy in August, as reported by multiple local and international media outlets.
One of the videos depicts the aftermath of a U.S. air force bomber crash in California in June, and The Canadian Press was unable to link it or any of the other smoke plume videos to CFB Wainwright.
THE CLAIM
An Oct. 19 X post claimed the federal government's Earthquakes Canada website recorded a 3.7 magnitude earthquake in Wainwright at the time of the fire.
The Prime Minister and other officials "only talk of a fast moving fire — not an explosion," the post reads.
THE FACTS
Earthquakes Canada, which records earthquakes using data from seismic stations across Canada, did not record any seismic events the day of the fire.
It recorded a 3.7 magnitude earthquake in Canmore, Alta., the day before. Canmore is more than 500 kilometres northeast of CFB Wainwright.
In a subsequent reply, the post's author said they misinterpreted a post from another X user.
THE CLAIM
In an X post Sunday, a user claimed a Canadian Army major with the last name Singh had confirmed that a PFC, or private first class, fired an artillery shell at a natural gas well during windy conditions.
The post received around 4,500 likes, with many users seeming to take the post at face value.
THE FACTS
The Canadian Army has no rank of private first class, which is a U.S. military rank.
Maj.-Gen. Rutland is the military official who has shared details publicly about the fire. There is no record of the military personnel named in the post or the supposed comments made by a major with the last name Singh.
The X user has a history of making racist, false and inflammatory posts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.
By Marissa Birnie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Carney says Alberta's choice of unity is 'a great result' for Canada
Prime Minister Mark Carney says it was "a great result for Canada" when Albertans chose unity in a referendum on Monday.
Carney says he spoke to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith about the results this morning.
In the historic referendum, voters chose in overwhelming numbers to remain in the country that made Alberta a province 121 years ago.
In early returns, about three-quarters of Albertans said yes to Confederation, while one-quarter said they wanted the province to hold a second, binding referendum on leaving.
Carney says he and Smith also talked about additional support for people affected by the tragic fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta before turning to the referendum results.
He told reporters they discussed moving forward in the spirit of co-operative federalism, including on the issue of immigration.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.
— With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton
By Jim Bronskill | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Le tunnel L.-H.-La Fontaine 100 % fermé dans une direction ce week-end : Voici quoi savoir
Si tu dois traverser le fleuve, mieux vaut prévoir un plan B.
À peine remis des entraves de l'Action de grâce, les automobilistes qui circulent entre Montréal et la Rive-Sud devront encore s'armer de patience. Le tunnel Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine sera complètement fermé dans un sens pendant toute une fin de semaine, et partiellement de nuit dans l'autre.
À lire également : Long week-end de l'Action de grâce : Le tunnel Louis-H.-La Fontaine fermé à 100 % d'un côté
Cette fois, c'est la direction de Montréal qui écope. Le ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable (MTMD) a annoncé par communiqué ce lundi 19 octobre que l'autoroute 25, tunnel compris, sera fermée vers l'île durant la fin de semaine du vendredi 23 octobre.
Le chantier vise à effectuer de l'entretien et des interventions sur les systèmes électriques et de communication du tunnel. Les équipes en profiteront pour réparer des composantes abîmées lors d'incidents et d'accrochages survenus au cours de la dernière année.
Du vendredi 23 octobre à 22 h jusqu'au lundi 26 octobre à 5 h, l'autoroute 25 en direction nord sera entièrement fermée, tunnel inclus.
Le tronçon touché s'étend de la sortie no 90 (autoroute 20 ouest, route 132, La Prairie, États-Unis, Varennes, aéroport P.-E.-Trudeau) jusqu'à l'entrée en provenance de la rue Sherbrooke.
Les entrées de ce secteur fermeront 30 minutes avant le début de l'entrave. La bretelle d'accès qui vient de l'avenue Souligny en direction est restera toutefois accessible pendant la journée.
Des fermetures de nuit vers la Rive-Sud
Si tu dois te rendre dans le 450, la circulation sera possible le jour, mais pas la nuit. L'autoroute 25 en direction de la Rive-Sud, tunnel compris, sera fermée entre la sortie no 4 (centre-ville de Montréal, pont Jacques-Cartier) et l'entrée de l'île Charron selon l'horaire suivant :
- De vendredi 22 h à samedi 8 h
- De samedi 22 h à dimanche 9 h
- De dimanche 22 h à lundi 5 h
Ici aussi, les entrées du tronçon fermeront 30 minutes plus tôt. Même chose pour l'avenue Souligny en direction est, entre les rues Dickson et Honoré-Beaugrand.
Une inspection forcera également la fermeture de l'avenue Souligny en direction ouest dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi, de 22 h à 8 h.
Le secteur fermé se trouve entre la rue Honoré-Beaugrand et la sortie no 4 de l'autoroute 25 en direction sud.
Pour traverser le fleuve, les ponts Jacques-Cartier et Samuel-De Champlain demeurent les options les plus évidentes, mais attends-toi à ce qu'ils soient plus achalandés qu'à l'habitude.