TASMANIAN firefighters' worst fears have been realised with catastrophic conditions in the state's south leading to the loss of property, most likely including houses.
Huge plumes of smoke are visible from Hobart as the island capital swelters through its hottest day on record.
Accompanying winds have whipped up blazes that started on Thursday at Forcett, east of the capital, and Lake Repulse northwest of Hobart.
Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) Chief Officer Mike Brown says conditions on Friday have reached the catastrophic level developed after the Black Saturday fires in Victoria.
He says he suspects houses are among properties destroyed around the small community of Dunalley, 56km southeast of Hobart.
There are no reported injuries.
"We reached catastrophic fire danger ratings at times during this afternoon," Chief Officer Brown told reporters.
"I don't think we're quite out of the woods yet.
"The latest reports we've got have been that there's been structural damage and structural losses in the communities around Copping and Dunnalley.
"It will be some time before we can confirm how much damage has been done."
Chief Officer Brown said it was likely some of the damaged structures were houses.
On a day Hobart hit a top temperature of 41.8C - smashing the previous record of 40.8 set in 1976 - up to 40 fires were burning around the state.
The 100 fire crews say they can't contain the two largest fires, which are causing most concern ahead of a mild southerly change due in Hobart around midnight.
The TFS has used its emergency phone warning system to ask residents to leave the affected areas and police say around 80 per cent have chosen to go.
The popular Port Arthur tourist area has been cut off after police closed the Arthur Highway, isolating the Tasman Peninsula.
Earlier, residents in the small communities of Dunalley, Copping, Boomer Bay, Connellys Marsh, Primrose Sands and Carlton River were told to leave and head to refuges set up nearby.
The other major fire, which authorities suspect was started by a campfire, is affecting communities including Broad River, Jones River and Ellendale.
Conditions are now considered worse than 2006/07 when houses were lost on the state's east coast.
Late on Friday afternoon, the TFS upgraded a warning for another fire near Bicheno in that area.
Campers were being evacuated and residents were being encouraged to act on their bushfire plans or leave.
A large grass fire at Epping Forest in the state's north was also causing concern.
The change is unlikely to bring rain but could ignite more fires with lightning strikes, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
"Lighter winds tomorrow and milder temperatures and higher relative humidities will be of help," senior forecaster Malcolm Downing told AAP.
Hobart hit 41.8C at 4.05pm (AEDT) on Friday, its highest temperature since records began being kept in 1883.
Authorities say smoke is likely to be visible for several hours and people affected by it should stay indoors.
The TFS said it was too late to leave the communities of Connellys Marsh or Primrose Sands.
Those at Connellys Marsh were being advised that the nearby beach was a safer option for them.
Carlton River Road was considered impassable and Primrose Sands residents were also being told to head to the nearby beach.
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