17 Oct 2026: Major fire at CFB Wainwright

[SeaKingTacco]

Or a Base Wildfire response capability including water bombers and well trained initial attack crews instead of relying on, you know, the local BMQ course with shovels and a smile .

As I recall, Airfield 21 (if it's still there) can take aircraft like Hercs...

Where are the water bombers coming from? Province? CAF? Contractor? Each of those “solutions” causes problems on their own.

A UGV solution gives each range control in Canada a built in resource they currently do not have to suppress fire in impact areas.

 

[dapaterson]

UGVs actually make the most sense. You can send them into a impact area full of blinds, towing or carrying a good quantity of water, with no humans in the danger area. I hope the BOI takes a look at this.

My one concern is that a comprehensive BoI would be a 2-3 year effort; is a more narrow and focused BoI with recommendations for resultant staff work more likely to deliver in a timely manner?

 

[SeaKingTacco]

My one concern is that a comprehensive BoI would be a 2-3 year effort; is a more narrow and focused BoI with recommendations for resultant staff work more likely to deliver in a timely manner?

Honestly, the Army could move on this issue, today.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

My one concern is that a comprehensive BoI would be a 2-3 year effort; is a more narrow and focused BoI with recommendations for resultant staff work more likely to deliver in a timely manner?

I was on a BOI for a friendly fire incident in AStan in 2006, led by a GOFO. 20 odd days in theatre, then 30 days locked up in a hotel in Ottawa to get it done, and then a briefing to the family of the deceased.. 2-3 years would be ludicrous...and families would be waiting for those results.

 

[YZT580]

UGVs actually make the most sense. You can send them into a impact area full of blinds, towing or carrying a good quantity of water, with no humans in the danger area. I hope the BOI takes a look at this.

a Piper Pawnee will cost you less than 300,000. So 2 or 3 of those per major base as part of your fire suppression unit and available for the neighbourhood when the need arises. The Saudis' maintain a fleet of Chinooks in every major city for just that purpose. UGVs are all well and good and all but if there isn't navigable territory they can't get there.

 

[The Bread Guy]

More, from the red caps at this point:

Statement from the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal on the Ongoing Investigation into the Incident at CFB Wainwright - Canada.ca

On behalf of the Canadian Forces Military Police, I extend my sincere condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those affected by this tragic incident.

www.canada.ca

Newest bit of info:
View attachment 102752
Also archived here.

MSM version ...

CFB Wainwright fire began on automatic grenade launcher range that crews could not reach: official

The investigation into a deadly fire at an Alberta military base first began on an automatic grenade launcher range during routine exercises, officials say.

www.cp24.com

 

[SeaKingTacco]

a Piper Pawnee will cost you less than 300,000. So 2 or 3 of those per major base as part of your fire suppression unit and available for the neighbourhood when the need arises. The Saudis' maintain a fleet of Chinooks in every major city for just that purpose. UGVs are all well and good and all but if there isn't navigable territory they can't get there.

Having been responsible for an RTA at one point in my career, I can tell you that generally speaking we rely on human firefighters to wait until the fire reaches the perimeter of an impact area before fighting the fire. There was one case where I had stern words with my fire chief after I discovered that they entered a heavily UXO contaminated area to fight a range fire, without any EOD support or any PPE (kevlar helmets or flak vests). I had not really thought about UGVs until the Wainwright incident. We could probably repurpose surplus M113s fairly quickly with water tanks; water turrets and radio control. They are something familiar and easily manintained.

I don’t understand your suggestion about buying Piper Pawnees. Are you proposing that each range control would have their own aircraft fleet? Operated and flown, by whom? Maintained, by whom? And why that specific aircraft?

 

[The Bread Guy]

a Piper Pawnee will cost you less than 300,000 ....

I don’t understand your suggestion about buying Piper Pawnees. Are you proposing that each range control would have their own aircraft fleet? Operated and flown, by whom? Maintained, by whom? And why that specific aircraft?

Also, why a plane who's newest edition is around +40 years old, if memory serves?