Residents are being urgently evacuated from Sydney‘s Northern Beaches after a hazard reduction burn broke containment lines. 

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) issued a fire alert for 100 Meatworks Avenue in Oxford Falls at 2:39pm on Saturday afternoon. 

A hazard reduction fire was classified by the service as ‘out of control’ and was burning in an easterly direction towards Cromer Heights.

The RFS said the fire is 80 hectares but that it had begun to calm and the alert was downgraded to ‘watch and act’ by 4:43pm.

‘Conditions are beginning to ease across the fire ground,’ a spokesperson said.

Prior to that residents who live on Pinduro Place, Jersey Place, Maybrook Avenue and Kirrang Street had been told it was ‘too late to leave’ and that they should seek shelter instead. 

Now they are being warned to brace for an ember attack as remnants of the fire travel in the air which threatens to create spot fires throughout the area.

An Emergency Warning had been issued for the area, with residents advised the fire is out of control and there is a ‘heightened level of threat’.

RFS media spokesman Inspector Ben Shepherd said the fire was ‘making its way basically under north-westerly winds in a south-easterly direction to Willandra Road’. 

The road remains closed after more than 280 firefighters and two water-bombing aircraft worked to tame the fire. 

Fire and Rescue NSW is still supporting the RFS and has deployed nine trucks and crews which are now focused on property protection. 

Residents in the vicinity of Maybrook Retirement Village were earlier told to prepare for the possibility of evacuating the area.

More than 100 residents live in the village and Levande spokesman Dean Felton said that they had to shelter in place while the fire raged nearby.

‘When the warning came … it was too late to leave,’ Mr Felton told the Herald.

A community centre in the middle of the site was turned into a designated refuge for residents at the peak of the blaze’s danger. 

‘The fire burned quite closely to homes and retirement villages,’ Mr Shepherd said. 

Meanwhile, those in Narraweena and Cromer had already been told to prepare for an ember attack, the NSW Rural Fire Service warned at 3.30pm. 

‘Embers will be blown long distances ahead of the main fire front starting spot fires, these may impact your home earlier than the main fire front,’ the service said. 

The RFS has advised anyone in the area to actively keep an eye out for burning embers. 

Locals are being updated on the Northern Beaches Living Facebook page.

‘The smoke that can be seen is unfortunately from a fire at Oxford Falls that has reached Out Of Control status,’ one person wrote. 

‘Hoping our brave firies can get this one under control soon.’

Large plumes of smoke coming from thick bushland in Oxford Falls could be seen across the city on Saturday afternoon. 

One local reported at least two helicopters had been deployed to the area. 

Another said they witnessed streams of tourists coming to view the fire but urged them to keep the roads clear for firefighters. 

Allambie Vet offered emergency boarding for the pets of people who were able to safely evacuate the suburb. 

Emergency services minister Jihad Dib said the vegetation in the area had presented a risk prior to the controlled fire. 

‘After several years of rainfall and flooding the vegetation has grown quickly and that is now drying out with the warmer weather, adding to fire risk,’ Mr Dib said. 

No property loss or damage has been reported thus far but the RFS has said their work in containing the fire will continue for hours to come.

 more to come