A man is in a stable condition in a Lower Hutt hospital after suffering serious burns while at a popular campsite for New Year's revellers.
The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was called to Vinegar Hill, near Hunterville in Rangitikei, about 1am today.
Paramedics were at the scene helping the 27-year-old burns victim.
"The guy was heavily sedated by the time he got to hospital because of the nature of his injuries," helicopter base manager and pilot Chris Moody said.
"It appears he's fallen [into] a fire, from what the ambulance officers said."
Because Vinegar Hill was packed with campers, the helicopter had to land in a nearby paddock on a site prepared by the Hunterville Fire Brigade.
The man was flown to Hutt Valley Hospital, which has a specialist burns unit, and was in a stable condition this afternon, a spokeswoman said.
