Tasmanian bushfires force school closures

Four schools in communities threatened by bushfire southwest of Hobart will be closed for a fortnight, the state government has announced.

Smoke billows from a wildfire south of Huonville in southern Tasmania, 29 January 2019. Source: AAP

Several schools in southern Tasmania won't open for the start of the school year due to the ongoing threat of bushfires.

Premier Will Hodgman announced on Saturday schools at Glen Huon, Geeveston, Franklin and Dover, all in the Huon Valley southwest of Hobart, will be closed for the next fortnight.

Extra support for students and teachers from communities threatened by bushfire was also announced by the government.

Premier Will Hodgman (left) has announced four school closures for the Huon Valley following advice from the Tasmania Fire Service. Source: Facebook/Will Hodgman

"Students may be in a heightened state of stress, they've got a lot on their plate," Mr Hodgman told reporters.

Students at the four schools can instead attend Huonville Primary or High School.

Kindergarten students from Dover, Geeveston, Franklin and Glen Huon won't return until February 12.

The closures come as crews across the state prepare for worsening weekend weather, with residents being warned conditions could escalate rapidly.

Bushfires which have already ravaged the state for weeks still pose a threat to communities in the Huon Valley, central plateau and on the west coast.

Hot and dry weather is expected to return on Sunday, potentially whipping up fires.

"We've got challenging days ahead," Tasmania Fire Service state fire controller Jeff Harper said.

"February is a historically a difficult time for fires and we will be in this space for a number of weeks to come."

Nearly 600 personnel, including about 150 from interstate and New Zealand, are working on the blazes which have destroyed more than 187,000 hectares.

The fires have claimed three homes and a near-century-old trapper's hut, plus damaged the popular Tahune Airwalk tourist attraction.

Aerial footage has shown vast tracks of blackened wilderness.

An evacuation centre at Huonville has housed hundreds of people but some have returned to nearby Geeveston, one of the towns southwest of Hobart once most at risk.

Seven watch and act alerts are in place for the Huon Valley blaze.

"The important message we have to send is that those emergency warnings could go up at any time," Mr Harper said.

After Tasmania's warmest and driest January on record, there is minimal rain forecast in February.

Fuel loads across the state are up to 30 per cent drier than normal.

Emergency services have also been forced to deal with several deliberately-lit blazes and a drone flying over a fire ground.