Tourist's skin 'melted off his foot' after walking barefoot in blistering 120F Death Valley

A Belgian tourist suffered horrendous third-degree burns to his feet while walking barefoot through Death Valley - as temperatures exceeded a blistering 120F.

The 42-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was hospitalized last Saturday after he lost his flip-flops during a walk in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

He was unable to walk and had to be carried to the trailhead by other park visitors where he was assessed by park rangers. The man needed urgent medical attention as "the skin was melted off his foot", according to Death Valley National Park Service Ranger Gia Ponce.

"The ground can be much hotter — 170, 180 [degrees]. Sometimes up into the 200 rang”, she told the LA Times. "People think it's going to be like the beach, where you can get out there with flip flops or sandals, but because of the extreme temperatures, those dunes can heat up just as much as the pavement does," Ponce explained.

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Rescuers were unable to determine whether the tourists' flip flop- were broken or lost in the sand due to the language barrier, according to the park. He needed to be transported to a hospital via helicopter but the heat impacted flying conditions and prevented them from doing so. Park rangers transported the man to an ambulance, and he was then flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas. The condition of the man is unclear.

The incident comes just two weeks after a park visitor on a motorcycle died in Death Valley National Park on July 6 following the extreme heat.

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Another visitor was treated for severe heat illness and transported to advanced medical care in Las Vegas, while four others were treated onsite and released. All 6 motorcyclists were members of the same party. Due to the high temperatures, emergency medical flight helicopters were unable to respond, as they cannot fly safely over 120 degrees.

“High heat like this can pose real threats to your health,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “While this is a very exciting time to experience potential world record setting temperatures in Death Valley, we encourage visitors to choose their activities carefully, avoiding prolonged periods of time outside of an air-conditioned vehicle or building when temperatures are this high.”

Health officials have reminded people extreme heat can be dangerous and to avoid the sun and seek shade or air-conditioning during the hottest part of the day. In addition, wear loose fitting lightweight clothing, sunscreen, hat, consider carrying a sun umbrella, and drink plenty of water. Hiking is not recommended during this heatwave.