Shilo resource centre on alert to help base families affected by deadly training incident in Alberta
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Military officials were unable to say Monday whether any soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Shilo were among the four dead and 39 injured Saturday when a fast-moving grass fire engulfed a training area at a base in Alberta.
A spokesperson for the Department of National Defence in Ottawa told the Free Press Monday they did not know yet if anyone from Shilo was participating in the exercises at CFB Wainwright, about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, when the fire tore through the area.
The Shilo Military Family Resource Centre, located about 30 kilometres Southeast of Brandon, was offering counselling and other assistance to families of soldiers stationed there.
Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Files
Military officials have not said whether any soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Shilo were among the four dead and 39 injured Saturday when fire engulfed a training area at CFB Wainwright in Alberta.
“We understand that this tragedy may also be deeply felt by members and families here at CFB Shilo,” the MFRC said in a statement posted to Facebook. “Across the Canadian Armed Forces, our communities are connected through shared experiences, friendships, service and sacrifice.”
The MFRC connects soldiers and their families with mental-health services, emergency child care, deployment assistance, food support, youth programs and other community resources.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday that affected military personnel were from bases across Canada, including reservists and members of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
CFB Shilo is home to two units belonging to 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, which was participating in the live-fire training exercise at Wainwright: the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.
The fire broke out at about 4 p.m. Saturday. High winds caused the flames to spread rapidly, overtaking the unit’s administrative area, the Department of National Defence said.
Military and civilian emergency services responded to the fire, which spread beyond the boundaries of the training area.
Flags were lowered to half-mast at buildings across Manitoba to honour the dead and injured.
kelly.riess@winnipegfreepress.com