In Death Valley National Park, a man was admitted to the hospital after he burned his feet on sand dunes throughout the weekend due to extremely hot temperatures—up to 123 degrees.
The 42-year-old Belgian tourist was enjoying a quick stroll at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in California on Saturday when he misplaced his shoes, according to a news release from the National Park Service.
The National Park Service reports that although Saturday’s high was about 123 degrees, the actual temperature on the ground was likely significantly higher. The individual, according to officials, was wearing flip-flop sandals; it’s unclear if they broke or got lost in the sand.
The man’s relatives requested that he be carried from the dunes to the parking lot by other park visitors while they called for assistance. According to the park service, the individual had third-degree burns on his feet.
Park rangers believed that he needed to be sent to the hospital because of the severity of his injury and the suffering he was experiencing.
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The National Park Service stated that Mercy Air’s chopper was unable to land safely in the park due to the intense heat as it decreased rotor lift. Rather, the man was airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas after being transported by EMS to a landing zone at a higher altitude.
In state and national parks, the extreme heat has recently resulted in multiple fatalities.
Death Valley park officials advised tourists to avoid trekking after 10 a.m., drink lots of water, and stay within ten minutes’ walking distance of an air-conditioned car.
