A second home is believed to have been lost in Tasmania as residents across the state face the threat of ember attack from fires burning kilometres away.
Authorities on Friday said they were facing extreme fire risk with dry air and temperatures reaching into the mid-30s, while 56 blazes continued across the island.
At Geeveston, southwest of Hobart, a fire is about 10km from the community, Tasmania Fire Service Chief Officer Chris Arnol said.
"There will not be a head fire go into Geeveston, but with the wind in the mix, the conditions that we have, we're expecting ember attack to go into those townships," he said, adding there is potential for embers to travel more than 10km.
Residents are being urged to leave early and already some 80 people have gathered at an evacuation centre at nearby Huonville.
The service's Andrew McGuinness asked people to remain aware of what's going on.
"People in the state will be inside with the curtains closed and their air conditioning on," he said.
"(They need to) make sure they open the curtains every now and then and go outside and experience what is going on around them. Really good situational awareness today is really important. It's too late when the fire is on your back door step."
Mr McGuinness said investigators were looking into reports a home had been lost overnight. It would be the second property loss, following the devastation of a house at central Miena earlier in the week.
"Today is the worst day that we've had for the fire season to date," Mr Arnol said.
Since late December some 71,000 hectares of land has been burnt and there is more than 900km of fire edge, with 500 firefighters on the ground.
On the west coast, an evacuation centre is open at Queenstown Basketball Stadium.
Communities in the highland lakes area are also reminded to stay on high alert, with emergency warnings in place for Shannon, Waddamana, Penstock Lagoon and Hilltop and there is an evacuation centre open at the Bothwell Town Hall.
A large bushfire burning in Tasmania on 23 January, 2019. Source: Facebook
Authorities are telling people not to enter bushland this weekend, with a total fire ban in place statewide until Monday.
"In these extreme fire danger conditions, it is not safe to camp in areas surrounded by bush," the TFS warns.
The hazard is being fuelled by temperatures in the high 30s and wind gusts of up to 90km/h.
