Death Valley visitor suffers third-degree burns on feet amid extreme heat
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - A tourist visiting Death Valley National Park was hospitalized after suffering third-degree burns on his feet as the area continues to experience record-breaking summer heat, according to the National Park Service.
Park rangers said the 42-year-old man visiting from Belgium somehow lost his shoes and proceeded to walk barefoot on the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
"The ground temperature would have been much hotter than air temperature, which was around 123°F," NPS said in a statement.
The National Park Service ambulance and Mercy Air’s air ambulance at the landing zone at 3,000 feet just east of Death Valley National Park’s CA-190 east entrance. / National Park Service
His family was able to call for help, and he was rescued by park rangers, who carried him to the parking lot.
Park rangers said they determined the man needed to go to the hospital due to the severity of his burns and pain he was experiencing, so the man was transported by a helicopter to University Medical Center in Las Vegas for treatment. His current condition is not known.
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Earlier this month, a motorcyclist died of heat exposure in the park as temperatures skyrocketed to a record high of 128F. That rider was part of a group of motorcyclists riding through the park. One other rider was hospitalized for severe heat illness, according to the NPS.
Park rangers continue to warn visitors the extreme heat this summer is no joke. So far, temperatures have soared upwards of 125F.
If one still decides to visit Death Valley, park rangers recommend the following:
- Stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle
- Do not hike after 10 a.m.
- Stay hydrated
- Eat salty snacks
- Wear a hat and sunscreen
Monday was measured as the hottest day ever recorded on Earth as the planet’s temperature keeps rising in a world of climate change.
While multiple heat records have been broken across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, including more than a dozen all-time heat records so far just in the U.S., the sudden jump this week in the global average is heavily weighted by significant warming over Antarctica, the researchers noted.
Researchers say it’ll be close as to whether 2024’s heat will topple 2023 to become the new hottest year on record. Current trends have it neck and neck, but researchers said the final four months of 2023 had "exceptional warmth" that may be tough to beat.
FOX Weather contributed to this report.