Park rangers said that the tourist was taking a short walk in the scorching Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
A man was rescued after suffering full-thickness burns on his feet at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park. According to the National Park Service, the incident happened on July 20 when a 42-year-old Belgian tourist suffered third-degree burns after losing his flip-flops in the dunes of Death Valley.
Park rangers said that the tourist was taking a short walk in the scorching Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park on Saturday. The 42-year-old man was exposed to the blistering 123-degree heat, causing his skin to melt off his foot, according to Park Ranger Gia Ponce. Unable to move due to extreme pain, the man and his family enlisted the help of fellow park visitors to carry him to the parking lot, where rangers assessed his injuries.
Due to the heat-thinned air, helicopters were unable to fly in, so an ambulance transported him to higher ground, where it was cooler (109 degrees), and he was then airlifted to safety.
''People think it's going to be like the beach where you can get out there with flip-flops or sandals, but because of the extreme temperatures, those dunes heat up just as much as the pavement does,” Ms Ponce said.
On a sand dune, the ground temperature is much hotter than in the air. According to the Washington Post, that's because sand doesn't require much energy to warm up. When the sand's high-density traps that heat, the result is a hot, hot surface.
Park officials recommend walking in the park and its soft dunes only in closed-toe shoes to avoid similar incidents. They also gave some advice to those interested in visiting Death Valley during the heat.
''Park rangers recommend that summer travellers to Death Valley National Park stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle, not hike after 10 am, drink plenty of water, eat salty snacks, and wear a hat and sunscreen,'' a release from National Park Service read.