SALT LAKE CITY — With Utah in the middle of a ferocious heat wave, doctors are warning people to keep their shoes on when walking across hot pavement.
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As temperatures stay high, the risks of burns to those who walk barefoot increase, NPR reports. The temperature of pavement or asphalt can reach as high as 180 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than enough to cause serious injury.
Doctors at the Arizona Burn Center said seven people died and 104 people were injured due to making contact with "scorching surfaces" during the summer months in 2020. Burns from contact with hot surfaces rose 49% over the 2019 numbers in the Phoenix area, according to Valleywise Health.
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The Lions Burn Care Center in Las Vegas said 13% of the serious burn injuries they see over the summer come from hot pavement.
People are advised to wear flip-flops when at a swimming pool and to always have on some type of footwear when walking outside during the summer months.
