Yellowstone visitor falls into ‘scalding water,’ suffers thermal burns

YELLOWSTONE, Wyo. ( KTVX ) – A New Hampshire woman visiting Yellowstone National Park on Monday fell into scalding water and received thermal burns, according to the National Park Service.

The identity of the woman, 60, was not released, but NPS said she was walking with her husband and their leashed dog in a thermal area — but they were not walking on a trail. Officials said the woman “broke through a thin crust over scalding water and suffered burns to her leg.”

The woman’s leg received second and third-degree burns, and she and her husband were evaluated at a medical clinic in the park before the woman was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center by helicopter for further treatment, the park said.

“Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and exercise extreme caution,” the National Park Service said. “The ground in these areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface.”

Officials said the woman’s husband and her dog were not injured, but officials also reminded visitors that pets are prohibited in thermal areas , hiking trails, on boardwalks, and in the backcountry.

The incident, which the park stated was “the first known thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2024,” is under investigation.

Staying safe at Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park offers a variety of safety reminders on its website , including reminders for keeping safe in thermal areas.

A key safety tip is to stay on the boardwalks and designated trails, as the park said the trails and boardwalks “protect you and delicate thermal formations.”

Hot springs in the park have a thin, breakable crust around them, and the water underneath that crust and in the springs can cause severe or even fatal burns, according to the park.

Visitors are warned against touching thermal features or runoff. Throwing objects into hot springs (or other features) is not allowed.

Swimming or soaking in the hot springs is also prohibited, especially since the park said more than 20 people have died from entering or falling into the park’s hot springs .

“Toxic gases may accumulate to dangerous levels in some hydrothermal areas,” one safety tip reads. “If you begin to feel sick while exploring one of our geyser basins, leave the area immediately.”

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