Elbows -- Wha?

As long as we've been on Canada, over the weekend there was an event there that seems likely to highlight the unexpectedly major differences between Canada and the US, when Americans had assumed, perhaps ever since there was Canada, that the two countries are basically similar. What we know more or less for sure is that about 4 PM local time, at a Canadian military base in Alberta, there was an explosion followed by a fire that destroyed facilities on the base and caused multiiple fatalities and injuries. A completely unofficial and possibly speculative version of what happened is below:

A catastrophic blast at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, Alberta has reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries during a live fire military training operation. According to local sources on base, Canadian Forces personnel had been conducting exercises over several days when an artillery projectile reportedly struck an active natural gas well on the bombing range, triggering a massive detonation. The blast is said to have levelled nearby tactical training buildings, with subsequent fires reaching munitions storage and setting off secondary detonations across the range. The geography and infrastructure; ➟ CFB Wainwright has a documented history of natural gas production, with approximately 180 wells reported on the military property in 2014. ➟ Military range maps identify munitions storage, pipelines and designated live fire danger areas near Peterson Pond. ➟ NASA FIRMS satellite imagery recorded multiple thermal hotspots between Peterson Pond and Jamieson Lake on October 17. Local accounts also describe hospitals activating Code Orange protocols, mobilizing stretchers and preparing for a significant influx of casualties. The reported gas well strike, secondary detonations and hospital emergency measures remain unconfirmed as authorities investigate the incident. Should these reports be confirmed, my thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected.

— Morgan (@MorganC000) October 18, 2026

The key paragraphs:

According to local sources on base, Canadian Forces personnel had been conducting exercises over several days when an artillery projectile reportedly struck an active natural gas well on the bombing range, triggering a massive detonation.

The blast is said to have levelled nearby tactical training buildings, with subsequent fires reaching munitions storage and setting off secondary detonations across the range.

But reports from the government CBC have been sketchy indeed:

Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division of the Canadian Armed Forces, said at a Sunday afternoon news conference that a fire broke out during a high-intensity combat training exercise using live munitions.

Soldiers were throwing hand grenades on a grenade range at the time, he said, while others were in the section range doing a "section attack," where 10 soldiers attack a simulated enemy.

Rutland said it's not yet known what exactly caused the fire. "Quite frankly, it could have been any of that or none of it," he said.

Rutland said heavy wind gusts spread the blaze by a kilometre in less than a minute.

"This was uncommon, rapid, and I certainly hadn't seen anything like it," he said, adding that conditions for most of the day were "within standard procedures to conduct training exercises" with wind gusts below 50 km/h.

He told reporters that range control knew about the fire on the base for several hours, but it was decided that training "could carry on for a certain amount of time."

"This was uncommon, rapid, and I certainly hadn't seen anything like it," he said, adding that conditions for most of the day were "within standard procedures to conduct training exercises" with wind gusts below 50 km/h.

He told reporters that range control knew about the fire on the base for several hours, but it was decided that training "could carry on for a certain amount of time."

Nobody expected a fire, but range control knew about it for several hours and thought it was OK, but who knows what caused it? Probably not hand grenades. Elsewhere, he's quoted as saying,

The fire did originate within the training area and did cross established fire guards before being contained in conjunction with municipal authorities. You may have heard reports of explosions. Certainly, we do not believe this to be as a result of any oil and gas infrastructure nor any outside interference.

So the fire originated within the training area, and they knew about it for hours, but it was completely uncommon. Explosions? What's that got to do with it? Anyhow, King Charles is on boo-hoo duty.

The problem I see is that these are the Canadian armed forces Carney had not long ago ordered to plan for a US invasion, but which is now starting to look like its own worst enemy. Canadians, after a few polite queries, have quickly fallen into line and are passively listening to the halting and contradictory explanations the government is giving them without complaint. The Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, who actually represents the district that includes Wainwright and the base, is expressing his support for Carney.

Alberta Premier Smith, Prime Minister Carney, and even King Charles are flooding the zone with weepy condolences while minimizing the questions that emerge over what looks to be at minimum incompetence and dereliction of duty, and Canadians are copacetic. Frankly, they deserve the country they've got.