A fire burning in Tasmania's south-west has entered the Mount Field National Park — home to picturesque wilderness attractions including Russell Falls — firefighters say.

What you need to know now: There are 5 emergency alerts and 12 watch and act warnings

There are 5 emergency alerts and 12 watch and act warnings A "smoke refuge" has been opened in Kingston for residents in Cygnet and surrounds who are vulnerable to smoke

A "smoke refuge" has been opened in Kingston for residents in Cygnet and surrounds who are vulnerable to smoke For the latest fire updates listen to ABC Local Radio or visit the TFS website

For the latest fire updates listen to ABC Local Radio or visit the TFS website Check the Tasmania Police community alerts page for road closures

However, Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) southern region manager Ashely Rushton said it was not having a significant impact on the park at this stage.

"The fire has actually burnt into there, but because the conditions are quite cool, it hasn't extended," he said.

"Tasmania is still open for business, there are 19 national parks in Tasmania of which the majority are running very well."

He said the loss of Churchill's Hut — built in the 1920s by Elias Churchill who went on to capture the last Tasmanian tiger — to the same fire yesterday was "devastating", and that other historical huts in the area were being wrapped in silver foil to protect them against possible ember attack.

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Russell Falls are a popular attraction in the Mount Field National Park. ( Audience Submitted: johnfg )

At 8:00pm (AEDT), 24 fires were still burning out of control across the state with five emergency warnings listed, but the TFS said crews were making progress on containment lines.

New fires were sparked overnight, with more than 500 lightning strikes recorded across Tasmania.

No new property losses have been recorded — so far four homes and several other outbuildings have been destroyed by the fire.

The Gell River fire continues to take a toll on the Tasmanian wilderness. ( Supplied: Dain Cairns )

Fresh pictures have emerged of the damage from the Gell River fire near Lake Rhona in the south-west wilderness.

The photos, which Par Avion boss Shannon Wells said were taken five days ago and include high-value conservation areas, show a blackened landscape with patches of green.

The images of south-west damage were taken by pilot Dain Cairns. ( Supplied: Dain Cairns )

Earlier, Tasmanian health authorities warned about the dangers of exposure to bushfire smoke, which has left Hobart and surrounding areas blanketed in a thick smog over the past few weeks.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch urged residents living Cygnet, in the Huon Valley south of Hobart, with heart of lung conditions to leave the area or "risk serious health harm" from smoke inhalation.

Dr Veitch said children, pregnant women, elderly people and residents with heart and lung conditions were most at risk.

Smoke is shrouding Cygnet. ( Supplied: Lorraine Newman )

Managing asthma in smoky conditions Avoid physical activity outdoors

Avoid physical activity outdoors Stay indoors with windows and doors closed

Stay indoors with windows and doors closed When indoors, avoid other pollution sources like cigarette smoke

When indoors, avoid other pollution sources like cigarette smoke Consider visiting a friend's place, or public area like a shopping centre

Consider visiting a friend's place, or public area like a shopping centre If there's a break in smoky conditions, open windows to air home Source: Public Health Services

Plea to conserve water

As bushfire concerns remain for communities across Tasmania, there was also a plea to conserve water in one of the fire-affected areas.

Residents of Geeveston, south of Hobart, were being asked on Wednesday night to conserve water or risk running out.

TasWater's incident controller, Mark McConnan, said on Thursday the water utility was progressively replenishing the reservoir at Geeveston which dropped to a critically low level yesterday.

"Where we saw some customers on the outskirts of the scheme go without water, we did have some recovery last night so we are at about 20 per cent storage levels," he said.

"And our demand curves show that we are increasing our water that's going into that reserve today."

TasWater says water use in Geeveston should be restricted to essential tasks. ( ABC News: Rhiana Whitson )



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Mr McConnan said on an average summer's day, Geeveston would use between one and two megalitres of water.

Over the past week, that total had risen to about five megalitres a day.

Overnight rain showers 'a nuisance'

The threat continues for the Huon Valley and the Central Plateau with rain having little effect on the fires.

On the Central Plateau, isolated heavy showers did not impact on the fireground.

In the south, minimal rain fell on the Riveaux Road fireground — 0.4 millimetres fell on Geeveston overnight.

At least 25 millimetres is needed if it is to be of any help to firefighters.

The wind change in the Huon Valley saw gusts shift from the northwest to the southwest and winds are expected to ease late Thursday.

Andrew McGuiness from the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) said the rain was not much help.

"Two millimetres of rain on the Central Plateau isn't going to do anything at all," he said.

"It's just probably going to be a nuisance, until it dries out mid-morning and then we start backburning operations."

A total fire ban lifted at 2:00am but conditions remained challenging.

A waterbombing helicopter approaches a dam near Glen Huon. ( ABC News: Rhiana Whitson )

Five to 10 millimetres of rain was forecast around the west and south-west and there is the potential for snow to fall above 1,000 metres before the heat builds again on Sunday.

At 5:30 Thursday morning there are 13 emergency warnings for fires around Tasmania. ( Supplied: Tasmania Fire Service )

The TFS is urging Tasmanians to think about moving out of bushfire-affected areas to a safer place after 10 people became isolated at Penstock Lagoon on Wednesday as the Great Pine Tier approached.

A Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service crew was able to assist in relocating them from the area safely.

Long wait for evacuees

A second round of emergency financial assistance has been made available to those forced from their homes.

More than 300 people spent a second or third night at the Huonville PCYC evacuation centre because of the threat to the communities of Lonnavale, Judbury, Glen Huon and Castle Forbes Bay.

Paul Joseph provides some musical relief while he waits with others at the Huonville evacuation centre. ( ABC News )

Entire families are camped out at the evacuation centre after fleeing fires, hoping their properties will survive.

While some were lucky enough to retreat with prized possessions, others like Paul Joseph had to abandon irreplaceable mementos and memories.

"My entire archive of everything that I've recorded in my life. And I'm not young," he said.

Mr Joseph, of Geeveston, has been at the centre for two days providing some musical distractions while he and fellow evacuees wait for news — good or bad.

Clinton Smith brought his family and his motorbike from Port Huon.

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"Got the Harley, that's the main thing, so as long as my family's safe, hopefully my home will be still standing when we go back," he said.

The fire threat has forced the closure of several national parks, including Mount Field National Park, where snow is forecast to 1,000 metres, down as far as Lake Dobson.

Tasmanian comedian Luke McGregor, whose television series Rosehaven was partly shot in the Huon Valley, tweeted his support for those caught up in the fire threat.