A hiker died from heat exhaustion in Arizona and others were injured as dangerously high temps grip the West
By Aya Elamroussi, CNN
A hiker in Arizona died and five others were rescued Monday after getting lost on trails and suffering heat exhaustion as triple-digit temperatures gripped the region, officials said.
A man in his 20s was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital, according to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Monica Bretado.
Five others who were part of the hiking group were treated at the Spur Cross Trailhead, a hiking area about 40 miles north of Phoenix, officials said.
“The hikers had run out of water and had gotten lost on the trails. It is important to plan your hike, hike the plan, bring plenty of water, and know how to identify heat exhaustion,” the Scottsdale Fire Department said in a tweet Monday.
Temperatures in Phoenix reached 109 degrees Monday, which is six degrees above average, according to the National Weather Service.
Extreme heat has been suffocating several states in the West since last week, subjecting millions to excessive heat alerts and warnings. The heat prompted officials in California and Nevada to urge residents to conserve power. The scorching temperatures come against the backdrop of multiple deadly wildfires raging in California.
In Arizona, 111 people have died from heat-related complications this year in Maricopa County as of last week, according to a report from the county’s public health department.
The report shows 38% of the deaths have been in people 50 to 64 years old, and 80% of the deaths occurred outdoors.
Excessive heat has killed more people than any other extreme weather event in the US. Heat deaths have outpaced hurricane deaths by more than 15-to-1 over the past decade, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service.
The impacts of human-driven climate change have been making extreme weather events more deadly and more common.
In July, a 22-year-old hiker died due to possible dehydration and exposure after running out of water in a South Dakota national park, officials said.
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CNN’s Amanda Musa and Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.
