Residents urged to evacuate amid fears huge fire could reach township overnight [Video]

Residents of an alpine village in Canterbury are being urged to evacuate their homes tonight amid fears a huge blaze that has tripled in size could reach their township overnight.

”It is a lot easier for people to leave now rather than trying to complete an emergency evacuation in the middle of the night, so we are encouraging people to stay with friends and family or return home if this is their holiday home,” Incident Commander Brian Keown said.

“In the unlikely event that the fire does reach the village, an evacuation order will be made via Emergency Mobile Alert and door knocking, and we will then do everything in our power to protect the properties if it is safe to do so.”

A huge out of control fire in the Southern Alps has tripled in size this afternoon as emergency services battle the flames and hostile elements.

Firefighters across …