The National Park Service wants visitors to be excited about summiting Yosemite, hiking down the Grand Canyon or venturing into Death Valley.
But tourists should be ready to cancel those adventures if temperatures soar to dangerous digits, the federal agency warned in a new push to protect people during what is expected to be a sizzling summer with deadly heat waves.
“One of the most important messages for visitors is it’s OK to change your plan, and it’s really important to do,” said Sara Newman, director of the NPS Office of Public Health. “Turning around and making good decisions on the spot are life-saving decisions.”
Seventy-seven visitors to national parks have died of heat exposure since 2007, with five deaths occurring last summer, according to federal data analyzed by E&E News. Hyperthermia kills more people in national parks than cold weather or wildlife attacks, which were responsible for 74 and 10 deaths, respectively, during the same period.
