An evacuation alert advisory has been issued to the residents of Cecil Hill Road in Pender Harbour.
The alert was issued at 10:23 this morning by the Sunshine Coast Regional District.
Director of the Sunshine Coast Regional District Emergency Operations Centre says the advisory alert is being made at this time solely in the interests of public safety and emergency planning.
Residents may be asked to leave their home on 10 minutes notice and travel to reception centres, which will be identified to them.
There are plans in place to establish several regional reception centres where temporary lodging and food services would be available.
In the meantime, residents should prepare by organizing an emergency supply kit with necessary medications, personal toiletries, change of clothing and personal and family documents.
The Cecil Hill fire is now estimated at 9 hectares in size.
That’s according to the Coastal Fire Centre.
Marg Drysdale, Fire Information Officer says the fire is a ground fire burning on a steep hill under a heavy tree canopy.
The Coastal Fire Centre is reporting a skimmer group assisted the 49 firefighters and seven helicopters working on the fire today by dropping water on the fire to cool its intensity.
The most active part of the fire is in the southeast corner of the fire near the top of the hill.
The firefighters have laid a hose around almost half of the fire and will continue their work tomorrow.
In the meantime, fire crews in Gibsons were called out to a fire late yesterday afternoon.
Initial reports are it was a garage fire, but that hasn’t yet been confirmed.
We will have more information when it becomes available.
