THE Country Fire Service have announced a preemptive relocation order for residents of Vivonne Bay on the south coast of Kangaroo Island.
The area is not under threat at present, but concerns have been raised about worsening weather tomorrow and the high fuel-load in the area.
The evacuation will last 36 hours and police will remain in the area as long as it is safe.
The order could impact about 140 people, who were advised safer places would be Kingscote and Penneshaw.
Emergency services are also monitoring the status of Parndana and additional warnings could be issued if the weather and fire situation deteriorates.
The fuel loads were less at Parndana and the CFS is confident it can protect the town.
At Vivonne Bay, police are going through the heavily-wooded community and surrounding area, advising any remaining residents to leave now.
The area is closed to tourists.
NSW and Vic large air tanker aircraft were in bound to drop retardant near Vivonne Bay as a fire preventative measure if weather conditions worsen.
There has also been strategic backburning and strengthen of control lines on the south coast and elsewhere on the Island.
The main area of concern with fire activity today was Stokes Bay.
The eastern edge of the fire runs between the south coast (west of Vivonne Bay) and the north coast (around Stokes Bay).
An earlier incident report released at 10am advised residents to prepare for a change in wind direction today as winds swing to the east and north east.
This will increase the risk of the fire travelling in a southerly direction towards a number of communities including Parndana, Andamel and Vivonne Bay.
As the weather potentially deteriorates tomorrow, the CFS is also watching the situation at Parndana, which also lies east of the fire front.
It has a population of about 150 people, with many spread out on farms around the town.
The CFS will update and extend the warning to Watch and Act and then Emergency as necessary.
Residents are urged to keep up-to-date with warnings.
The KI Emergency Management Team, in conjunction with Army earlier this week, moved away the forward operations base further east to the KI Airport near Kingscote.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and SA Premier Stephen Marshall visited the base on Wednesday afternoon, to make announcements, along with Army leaders on the relief and recovery effort.
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Stan Gorton
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
