Arizona Is So Hot that People Are Suffering Burns After Falling on the Ground

People are sustaining severe burns from coming into contact with the hot pavement as temperatures climb over 110 degrees

Temperatures in Arizona have climbed as high as 119 degrees — superheating the ground so intensely that people are suffering burns from coming into contact with it.

And in Maricopa County, some people have even been hospitalized from burns they sustained from falling on the ground.

Every bed at the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health is full, Dr. Kevin Foster, director of burn services, told CNN — and one-third of the patients were injured by falling outside on the hot pavement.

“Summers are our busy season, so we anticipate that this sort of thing is going to happen. But this is really unusual — the number of patients that we’re seeing and the severity of injuries — the acuity of injuries is much higher,” Dr Foster told CNN.

Temperatures of 118 degrees are high enough to burn the skin, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with blistering and second-degree burns being suffered at 131 degrees.

“The temperature of asphalt and pavement and concrete and sidewalks in Arizona on a warm sunny day or summer afternoon is 180 degrees sometimes. I mean, it’s just a little below boiling, so it’s really something,” Foster told CNN.

In Phoenix alone, temperatures have topped 110° for 25 days straight — and counting.

Related: Man Dies After Collapsing Outside Restroom in Death Valley National Park amid 121-Degree Heat

One Arizona resident shared a TikTok video of her red, blistered, and burned feet after she said “I ran outside barefoot…for less than 2 minutes…in ARIZONA. I have 2nd degree burns.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, second-degree burns are the most common type of burn, identified by blisters, shiny, moist, discolored skin, and pain. And while most second-degree burns can be treated at home, if the area of the burn is more than three inches in diameter or potentially infected, it’s recommended that you seek a doctor’s care.

It only takes a “fraction of a second” to get a “pretty deep burn,” Foster told CNN, adding that “the skin is completely destroyed” after being in contact with hot pavement for 10 to 20 minutes.

“These are really serious injuries,” he said.

Of particular concern are darker asphalt surfaces. “Asphalt pavements absorb and store more heat than natural surfaces,” one report said. “Their dark surfaces incessantly absorb the heat.”

Related: 2 Hospitalized After Plane Passengers Were Trapped on Tarmac During Las Vegas Heat Wave

The Arizona Humane Society has warned of burn risks to dogs as well, reminding pet owners that “if it’s too hot for bare feet, it’s too hot for bare paws.” They caution that it’s not just asphalt, but also “sidewalks [and] desert sand (often found on hiking trails)” that pose risks for dogs who could sustain third-degree burns from those surfaces.

There have been 18 heat-related deaths in Arizona so far, according to AZCentral, but the outlet says that number may increase as the causes of other deaths are determined.

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