Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park are being warned about extreme temperatures that will hit the popular destination early next week after a recent increase in heat-related incidents in the inner canyon, including the deaths of three hikers.

Heat-Related Incidents

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat watch at the Grand Canyon for midday Monday through Tuesday, forecasting temperatures that could reach or exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit at the low-elevation Phantom Ranch. People are strongly advised to avoid hiking in the middle of the day, the National Park Service said this week in a statement following a recent influx of heat-related incidents.

An extreme heat watch was in effect June 16 when two hikers, ages 67 and 68, were found dead on the North Kaibab Trail, which the NPS describes as the most difficult of the major inner canyon trails. The service said they appeared to have succumbed to symptoms of heat-related illness. A third person, 72, died June 12 along the South Kaibab Trail after becoming ill from the heat, NPS said.

Park and weather officials alike emphasize to visitors that hiking conditions can be deceiving. Temperatures at the rim of the Grand Canyon are often 20 to 25 degrees cooler than what hikers will experience at the bottom.

Wildfire in Oak Creek Canyon

About 90 miles to the south, Oak Creek Canyon visitors and residents were evacuated late Friday as a wildfire burned hundreds of acres just north of Sedona. A federal interagency team and at least a dozen local agencies were working to combat the blaze, which was burning nearly 300 acres of very steep and rough terrain near Oak Creek Canyon.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.