The fire on Arthur street was reported to Tasmania Fire Service around 12:30am on Tuesday, drawing fire crews from Launceston, Longford and Perth.

The Perth crew were the first on site, arriving less than 15 minutes after the first triple zero call was made. They found the house engulfed in flames.

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The sole occupant of the house, a woman, had evacuated the building already. The Examiner understands she was not taken to hospital and is now staying at a friend's house.

Once all three crews arrived on site, the fire was quickly extinguished.

No other buildings were damaged. Astoundingly, a large wood pile in the driveway of the house did not catch fire, however, the fire gutted more than half the structure, with the living room and kitchen sustaining most of the significant damage.

A friend of the woman told The Examiner two "very important family cats" were still missing. The cats are both tabbies, micro-chipped and wearing collars. They may still be hiding in the area.

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The following morning, a fire investigation crew led by Launceston acting station officer Nic Rowbottom arrived to assess the damage and probable cause of the blaze.

While the fire is still under investigation, the crew's initial findings suggested that radiant heat from a wood heater had generated enough heat to ignite "nearby readily available combustible materials".

Arthur street resident Tanya Harper, who's home sits across from the now-gutted house, was one of those who called triple zero, after her dog began loudly barking around midnight.

"The dog just started barking and I woke up. The whole room was lit up orange [...] It was terrifying," she said.

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She said others on the street were woken up by pets who were reacting loudly to the fire.

At the scene, Officer Rowbottom said the winter period often coincides with an increase in heater-related fires. A spokesperson for the TFS said the fire was a "timely reminder" to all Tasmanians to be mindful when heating the home.

"Don't place clothing or any flammable material too close to heaters - it should be at least two metres from any source of heat," the spokesperson said.

This latest fire comes after a 150-year-old weatherboard building in Levendale burned down on Sunday night. The exact cause of that fire also remains undetermined but damages are estimated to be up to $400,000.

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