Another national park visitor died from the extreme heat

Located on the border between central California and Nevada, Death Valley National Park has for centuries attracted adventurers looking to experience some of the warmest temperatures on earth. Daily highs during the summer months stand at 113 °F (45 °C), while the 134 °F or 56.7 °C reported in July 1913 remains the highest temperature on record.

But with climate change breaking predictable patterns, certain times of the year have become even more extreme. During last July, there were several weeks of uninterrupted days where the daily temperature was at or above 125 °F (51.7 °C) instead of the 113 °F average typical for that time of year.

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The rising heat has in turn created dangerous and in some cases even fatal conditions for those coming to Death Valley. In July, park authorities failed to rescue a motorcyclist who became lost to heat illness, while a father-daughter hiking duo suffered a similar fate after running out of water in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park.

A more recent incident occurred in Death Valley, when 57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino began to feel relieved after returning from a hike in the heat and accidentally driving his car off an embankment at the Natural Bridge Trailhead on August 1st.

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“National Park Service emergency medical technicians performed CPR and quickly moved Robino to the air-conditioned ambulance,” a National Park Service news release said. “He was pronounced dead at 4:42 p.m.”

Additional notes from the incident say Robino was suffering from common symptoms of heatstroke, such as confusion, irritability and lack of coordination. Some fellow parkgoers noticed him walking around in a confused manner and offered to help him, but Robino insisted he was fine before walking to his car.

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“Remember not to underestimate the dangers of extreme heat”

“My condolences to Mr. Robino’s family and friends,” Death Valley Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said in an additional statement. “His death serves as a reminder not to underestimate the dangers of extreme heat.”

In most such cases, which occur both in Death Valley and in other national parks located in the southernmost parts of the country, incidents of heat-related death or injury occur when park visitors underestimate how hot it is the weather on a particular day before a long period of time begins. travel.

The NPS recommends always carrying a quart of water for every hour you spend hiking, and even more if you’re hiking in extreme heat. Even when properly hydrated, being out in particularly remote areas can be extremely dangerous as personnel can be slow to respond to an emergency.

After a power plant that provided air conditioning to several offices in Death Valley broke down in July, staff that would normally service certain areas were temporarily relocated.

“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 staffing, the number of rescue calls, employee safety requirements and limited helicopter flight capacity during periods of extreme heat or bad weather”.

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