A large fire at a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in east-central Alberta on Saturday resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, Canadian Armed Forces officials say.

Here’s what we know so far.

• National Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed that people were killed and injured in the fire but did not provide numbers. The Canadian Armed Forces says it is waiting until next of kin have been notified before releasing further details. McGuinty called the fire “very active and delicate” and said it was the worst mass casualty event he knew of in “recent memory.”
• The Canadian Armed Forces says the fire started around 4 p.m. local time Saturday and spread beyond the training area. Strong winds contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.
• Health staff said a “code orange” was declared to co-ordinate care for a high number of patients transported from Wainwright. Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, described the incident as a “one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.”
• The cause of the fire remains unclear. The RCMP confirmed it sent resources to assist at the base. The Canadian Armed Forces has said further details will be released as they become available.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called it a “significant and tragic fire,” while Prime Minister Mark Carney described it as a “serious incident.” Saskatchewan has deployed resources to assist Alberta, and British Columbia has also offered support.
• Bruce Pugh, the mayor of the neighbouring community of Wainwright, said the fire had crossed the base fence, but was being managed and held by firefighting teams. He said the local hospital was acting as a triage centre and that the fire would have a profound impact on his community, noting, “we share our lives” with the members of the Armed Forces base.
• CFB Wainwright is a major military training facility. It is the Canadian Armed Forces’ principal base for live-fire training exercises, bringing together infantry, artillery and air support for combined