A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition in Arizona after being saved from the South Mountainprompting authorities to warn of the dangers of hiking in extreme heat, firefighters confirmed to Fox News Digital.
According to Phoenix Fire Capt. Shaun DuBois, crews were called around 2 p.m. local time Tuesday to the Mormon Trailhead on South Mountain, a mountain range in central South Phoenix.
Authorities said a boy suffered heat-related illnesses while hiking along the trail.
“Early reports suggest that (the child) was here with family members who were possibly visiting from out of town, and they may have been walking the trail around 9:30 a.m.,” DuBois said. FOX 10 Phoenix.
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The boy was airlifted from the Phoenix Trailhead on Tuesday. (KSAZ)
Firefighters said they found the boy about a mile down the trail and he was airlifted down the mountain before being taken to a hospital.
Footage obtained by FOX 10 showed a helicopter evacuating the child from the trail.
Firefighters say reports indicate the boy had been on the trail for several hours, possibly since mid-morning, before crews were called.
The child’s identity and the extent of his injuries have not been released. by law enforcement.
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The child, identified as a 10-year-old boy, was found about a mile further down the trail. (KSAZ)
The heat-related incident comes as Arizona – and much of the United States – has been hit by stifling levels of heat.
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According to National Weather Service officials, Phoenix experiences a “severe weather alert” in case of extreme heat.
The maximum temperature reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, 6 degrees above average.
Parts of the United States, including Arizona, are under heat warnings or advisories as relentless, record-breaking temperatures continue to hit western and southern states. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Phoenix officials are urging residents and visitors to be aware of the difficulty level of some South Mountain trails.
“Some of these trails on South Mountain are pretty tough. They’re pretty long, and if you’re an inexperienced hiker, potentially coming from out of town, you might not be aware of them. difficulty level or how difficult they are,” DuBois said.
