A woman suffered burns to her hands and legs on Tuesday when the tent she was sleeping in on a Gisborne property caught fire.

Emergency services responded to the incident in Centennial Cres, Te Hapara, about 6.45am.

“[Fire and Emergency NZ] was called to the scene initially in response to the smell of smoke in the area and discovered the tent fire,” a senior firefighter said.

“A woman in the tent when it caught fire suffered burns to her hands, legs and feet.”

St John officers who attended said the woman’s injuries were moderate to serious.

“It appeared the fire had been started by a candle burning in the tent,” the senior firefighter said.

“This incident illustrates the care people have got to take with naked flames from things like candles.”

The woman was a visitor to Gisborne.

The 5m x 3m tent was destroyed in the blaze.