A man has been charged with setting off illegal fireworks that sparked a bushfire in the New South Wales central west on New Year's Eve.

The illegal fireworks ignited a blaze which burnt almost 500 hectares of bush near Orange.

Police say a 29-year-old man was camping near the Macquarie River when he set the fireworks off.

One of the fireworks allegedly fell over and shot across the river into dry scrubland.

The man swam across to the fire and attempted to put it out, sustaining burns to his shoulder.

The fire has since burnt around 475 hectares of bushland and is still alight but under control.

The man is facing charges of causing fire to the property of another, handling explosives without an authorising licence and negligently handling explosives to cause property damage.