A flare-up has been reported at the scene of solar farm fire in Summerside, P.E.I., and the voluntary shelter-in-place order in the area is back on. The battery fire first started at the Sunbank solar farm Monday morning and was quickly contained. At the time, residents within a roughly 500-metre radius of the scene were urged to evacuate the area. Police said the evacuation was issued “out of an abundance of caution” due to concerns surrounding smoke. Officials ended the advisory on Wednesday following signs of improvement at the site and a change in wind conditions. But the city later said there was still a possibility of a flare-up or reignition over the coming days. It returned to being an active fire scene following a flare-up by 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. As a result, the voluntary shelter-in-place order was reinstated for residents and businesses along South Drive from MacKenzie Drive to Bayview Drive. Police say there are no significant changes at the site as of Thursday afternoon and strong winds are helping to dissipate smoke. “The situation at the Summerside Sunbank site remains an active fire and under close monitoring. Summerside Fire Department and Summerside Police Services continue to have crews on site, focusing on the flare-up from last evening,” reads a post from Summerside Police Service. Residents experiencing smoke are reminded to: Police say anyone experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing should seek medical care or call 911. A reception centre remains open at the St. Eleanors Community Centre on West Drive for residents in the affected area who need a safe place to go. “We will provide another update later this afternoon, or sooner if there is a meaningful change in the situation or new information to share,” the post added. Closures TOSH Family of Schools are under a system shutdown Thursday due to potential conditions related to the fire. The French Language School Board says École-sur-Mer is closed again. Credit Union Place is also still closed until further notice. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
