A bushfire that forced the evacuation of campers and residents on Tasmania's northeast coast has been downgraded.
The blaze at the Waterhouse Conservation Area near the town of Tomahawk was reported around 4am on Thursday and sparked an emergency warning.
Crews were able to put in containment lines in favourable conditions and expected to control the fire in the afternoon.
Authorities evacuated 16 people and warned people to stay away from the area so emergency services could safely complete their duties.
Tasmania Fire Service regional chief Jeff Harper said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
He said the region was hit by a significant number of lightning strikes on Tuesday.
"The other (possibility) is that someone has had a campfire in breach of the parks and wildlife campfire restrictions in the area," Mr Harper said.
More than a dozen firefighting vehicles, plus six aircraft and two planes, were used to battle the blaze.
