An incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright left people dead and injured Saturday and sparked a major fire that spread beyond the military installation.

Federal defence officials confirmed the casualties Saturday evening, but had not released the number of people killed or injured. The cause and circumstances remained under investigation.

RCMP received reports of a fire in a training area shortly after 4 p.m. Military personnel and emergency responders were deployed as authorities co-ordinated assistance across municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Strong winds pushed the flames beyond the base’s perimeter into the surrounding municipal district. Firefighters from several jurisdictions responded, while the Wainwright community provided firefighting and hospital support.

Residents were asked to avoid the affected area so emergency crews could work. Municipal officials reported no evacuation order in effect during the initial response, although the situation continued to develop.

CFB Wainwright, roughly 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, is one of Canada’s largest military training facilities. It regularly hosts exercises involving Canadian Armed Forces members preparing for military operations.

RCMP were involved in investigating the incident. Further details about the casualties and what happened were expected as authorities confirmed information.