Current:Home > StocksA man got third-degree burns walking on blazing hot sand dunes in Death Valley, rangers say-InfoLens
A man got third-degree burns walking on blazing hot sand dunes in Death Valley, rangers say
View Date:2024-12-23 11:49:05
PHOENIX (AP) — A European visitor got third-degree burns on his feet while briefly walking barefoot on the sand dunes in California’s Death Valley National Park over the weekend, park rangers said Thursday.
The rangers said the visitor was rushed to a hospital in nearby Nevada. Because of language issues, the rangers said they were not immediately able to determine whether the 42-year-old Belgian’s flip-flops were somehow broken or were lost at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes during a short Saturday walk.
The ground temperature would have been much hotter than the air temperature that day, which was around 123 degrees Fahrenheit (50.5 Celsius). Death Valley National Park has seen record highs this summer in the desert that sits 194 feet (59 meters) below sea level near the California-Nevada line.
The man’s family called on other visitors to carry him to a parking lot. Rangers then drove him to a higher elevation where a medical helicopter would be able to safely land amid extreme temperatures, which reduce roto lift. The man was flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
The medical center operates the Lions Burn Care Center. During the summer, many patients from Nevada and parts of California go to the center with contact burns such as the ones the Belgian man suffered.
Blazing hot surfaces like asphalt and concrete are also a danger for catastrophic burn injuries in the urban areas of the desert Southwest. The bulk of the Las Vegas burn center’s patients come from the surrounding urban area, which regularly sees summertime highs in the triple digits.
Thermal injuries from hot surfaces like sidewalks, patios and playground equipment are also common in Arizona’s Maricopa County, which encompasses Phoenix.
Air temperatures can also be dangerous in Death Valley, where a motorcyclist died from heat-related causes earlier this month.
At the valley’s salt flats in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, the park has a large red stop sign that warns visitors of the dangers of extreme heat to their bodies after 10 a.m.
Park rangers warn summer travelers to not hike at all in the valley after 10 a.m. and to stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle. Rangers recommend drinking plenty of water, eating salty snacks and wearing a hat and sunscreen.
veryGood! (88)
Related
- Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's Son Moses Martin Reveals His Singing Talents at Concert
- Feel Free to Talk About These Fight Club Secrets
- How long is Aidan Hutchinson out? Updated injury timeline for Lions DE
- Khloe Kardashian Has the Ultimate Clapback for Online Bullies
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery
- Lupita Nyong'o Breaks Down in Tears Detailing Grief Over Black Panther Costar Chadwick Boseman’s Death
- Diabetics use glucose monitors. Should non-diabetics use them too?
- Ethan Slater’s Reaction to Girlfriend Ariana Grande's Saturday Night Live Moment Proves He’s So Into Her
- 2 striking teacher unions in Massachusetts face growing fines for refusing to return to classroom
- Town fines resident who projected Trump sign onto municipal water tower
Ranking
- Diamond Sports Group will offer single-game pricing to stream NBA and NHL games starting next month
- 12-year-old boy dies after tree falls on him due to 'gusty winds' in New Jersey backyard
- Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard complete Hail Mary touchdown at end of first half vs. Bills
- Video captures worker's reaction when former president arrives at McDonald's in Georgia
- Trump ally Steve Bannon blasts ‘lawfare’ as he faces New York trial after federal prison stint
- Ozzy Osbourne Makes Rare Public Appearance Amid Parkinson's Battle
- Columbus Blue Jackets memorialize Johnny Gaudreau, hoist '13' banner
- Mark Vientos 'took it personal' and made the Dodgers pay in Mets' NLCS Game 2 win
Recommendation
-
Where is 'College GameDay' for Week 12? Location, what to know for ESPN show
-
Musk hails Starship demo as step toward 'multiplanetary' life; tests began with ugly explosion
-
Justin Timberlake Has Best Reaction to Divorce Sign at Concert
-
Laura Dern Reveals Truth About Filming Sex Scenes With Liam Hemsworth in Lonely Planet
-
Glen Powell Addresses Rumor He’ll Replace Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible Franchise
-
Florida returning to something like normal after Hurricane Milton
-
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh shares update on heart condition
-
Grand jury charges daughter with killing Kentucky woman whose body was dismembered