Another visitor to a national park died of extreme heat

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

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

The rising heat has, in turn, created dangerous and in some cases even fatal conditions for those who come to Death Valley. In July, park authorities were not able to rescue a motorcyclist who got lost from heat illness while a father-daughter hiking duo suffered a similar fate after running out of water at Utah's Canyonlands National Park.

A more recent incident took place at Death Valley when 57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino began feeling light-headed after coming back from a hike in the heat and accidentally drove his car off an embankment at Natural Bridge Trailhead on August 1.

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"National Park Service emergency medical technicians performed CPR and quickly moved Robino into the air-conditioned ambulance," reads a press release from National Park Service. "He was declared dead at 4:42 p.m."

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

'Reminder not to underestimate the dangers of extreme heat'

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

In most such cases to take place both at Death Valley and other national parks located in the southernmost parts of the country, incidents of heat-related death or injury occur when parkgoers underestimate just how hot the weather is on a given day before beginning a long journey.

The NPS recommends always carrying a liter of water for each hour spent hiking and have even more if doing it in extreme heat. Even when properly hydrated, being out in particularly remote areas can be extremely dangerous since staff may be slow in responding to an emergency.

After a power station providing air conditioning to a number of Death Valley office broke down in July, staff who would have normally serviced certain areas were temporarily moved out.

"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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