Officials said the blaze began as a smoldering grass fire about a kilometer from where troops were conducting live fire training under Exercise Apollo Shooter, and base administrators allowed the drills to continue after judging the fire did not pose an excessive risk. Driven by wind gusts up to 100 km/h (62 mph), the flames later crossed a kilometer in 30 to 60 seconds and overtook the unit's administrative area.
The fire killed four soldiers — Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pvt. Shaun Farrell, Pvt. Aidan Goulding and Pvt. Hayden Lykkemark of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry — who had been preparing for a NATO deployment to Latvia. Another 39 service members were injured, including 19 in critical condition, in what Carney called "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime."