Park rangers at Death Valley National Park treated a Belgium man on Saturday for severe burns on his feet after he lost his flip-flops and walked on the hot sand.
According to Tuesday's announcement, the incident happened on July 20 after the 42-year-old man went on a short walk through the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. However, park rangers were unable to determine if the man broke his flip-flops or lost them.
Either way, the ground temperature during his walk reached levels higher than the air temperature, which was about 123 degrees. After sustaining injuries, the man's family called for help and recruited other park visitors to carry him to the parking lot.
Once there, park rangers determined the man needed medical care for the burns and pain level. Due to the extreme temperatures, though, officials could not immediately transport the man by helicopter to a hospital. Instead, they drove him to higher ground where the temperature was not as extreme and a helicopter could land safely. Later, they transported him to a hospital in Las Vegas.
Extreme heat affecting Death Valley and other parks
The heat in Death Valley during the summer can be brutal. According to the park's website, the temperatures range from 90 degrees on the low end (often happening during the night) and up to 134 degrees (the hottest on record). During July, however, the temperatures average about 116 degrees.
And people really do feel that heat. Two days before the Belgium man burned his feet, a woman hiking the Badlands Trail around 9:30 a.m. collapsed from heat illness. The Park Service said the woman and her friend had gotten lost, which prolonged their hike, and she could not continue, so she had to be carried out.
Before that, the park experienced a nine-day power outage from July 4 to 12 due to the temperatures. And during that time period, officials reported that a motorcyclist died while riding through the park. At the time, temperatures reached 128 degrees.
In response, the National Park Service issued a reminder to visitors of Death Valley in the summer to not hike after 10 a.m. They also recommend that you stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle, drink plenty of water, eat salty snacks, and wear a hat and sunscreen — and maybe some shoes.
