However, it is not a heat wave as seen in other parts of Australia over Christmas where a record temperature of 49.1 degrees was reached at Marble Bar in Western Australia.

Bureau of Meteorology Tasmania senior meteorologist Luke Johnston said some of the hottest temperatures currently forecast for Friday included 37 degrees at Campania and New Norfolk, 36 degrees at Bothwell and Huonville, 35 degrees in Hobart and 33 in Launceston.

“We’re getting a high pressure system moving into the Tasman Sea that brings some of the hot air that’s over the mainland at the moment,” Mr Johnston said on Wednesday morning.

“As that high sits there on Friday, it’s going to bring down the warmest air before a cooler change arrives to cool us down a little bit later on Friday.”

It was not classified as a heat wave because it was only one hot day, he said.

“It will classify as a low intensity heat wave for us - nothing like what we’ve seen on the mainland with temperatures quite high for some time,” Mr Johnston said.

He said the fire danger was forecast to reach Very High over the East and South of the state on Friday, increasing to Severe for the Upper Derwent Valley and South East forecast districts.

Extreme fire danger could be reached in parts of the South-East, dependent on the timing of the cooler change.

At Marble Bar in WA’s Pilbara region, the record high of 49.1 degrees was reached on December 27 with 48 on Christmas Day and 48.5 on Boxing Day.