For several years now, not just environmental scientists but also the authorities running national parks have been sounding the alarm over temperatures that seem to reach new and bigger extremes in southern U.S. regions that already see high summer temperatures in particular.
In the summer of 2023, the heat at Death Valley National Park reached a record 131°F (55 Celsius) while this year there have already been a number of heat-related incidents of visitor illness and even death. A man passing through Death Valley on motorcycle died after being hospitalized with signs of “severe heat illness” at the start of July while a couple who ran out of water six miles into a remote Joshua Tree hike last June narrowly escaped disaster after being rescued by helicopter.
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The latest tragic incident occurred when a father and daughter hiking through Utah's Canyonlands National Park were discovered dead after running out of water on Friday, July 12.
Park authorities 'responded and initiated a search operation'
According to the National Park Service (NPS) report on the situation, the 52-year-old man and 23-year-old woman visiting from Wisconsin were hiking on the park's Syncline Trail in 100-degree Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) weather and had "gotten lost and run out of water." Rangers had been alerted of the situation by another parkgoer who discovered them on his own hike and called 911.
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"National Park Service rangers and Bureau of Land Management Moab District Helitack personnel responded and initiated a search operation," the NPS said while adding that the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was assisting with the investigation. "When they were located, the two individuals were already deceased."
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'Efforts to assist hikers may be delayed during the summer months'
The tragic death of the father and daughter marks the latest in a series of heat-related deaths at parks this summer. From the start of June and July, three separate men died at Grand Canyon amid extreme temperatures. The NPS issued an extreme warning for the park back in June while scientists have been warning of this park in particular seeing some of the fastest average temperature increases.
In most cases, incidents of heat-related illness occur when visitors underestimate just how hot the weather is on a given day and fail to adequately prepare by bringing enough water. The standard recommended by the NPS is to always carry a liter of water for each hour spent hiking and have even more if doing it in extreme heat.
In general, however, the recommendation is also to shorten visits and put off long hikes at the hottest times of the year as it is much easier to overestimate one's capabilities and then run into danger in a remote area where help may be slow in coming.
"Hiking in extreme heat can lead to serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia, and death," the NPS wrote in a recent warning. "Be aware that efforts to assist hikers may be delayed during the summer months due to limited staff, the number of rescue calls, employee safety requirements, and limited helicopter flying capability during periods of extreme heat or inclement weather."
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