Dangerously Hot Pavement Can Cause Severe Burns During Heat Wave, Doctors Warn

 Ron Brackett

Published: June 15, 2021

Dangerously hot temperatures are smashing records in the West this week, and doctors are warning that pavement and other surfaces baking in the sun can cause severe burns.

The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for parts of Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Temperatures in the desert Southwest were forecast to be well into the 110s to lower 120s.

Under those conditions, external surface temperatures can hit 180 degrees, according to the Arizona Burn Center. Even brief contact can cause deep burns in the skin, the center said in a news release.

"It doesn’t take much time to get a full-thickness or third-degree burn when exposed to hot pavement," Dr. Kevin Foster, the center's director, said in a recent briefing, according to the Associated Press. "Because if you look at hot pavement or asphalt at two o’clock in the afternoon in direct sunlight, the temperature is usually somewhere around 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit."

(MORE: Heat Dome to Set Records in the West Much of This Week)

At the Lions Burn Care Center at Las Vegas’ University Medical Center, 13% of the serious burn injuries seen come from hot pavement, the AP reported. The staff there call the summer months "pavement burn season," according to Dr. Syed Saquib, the center's director.

The Arizona Burn Center reported seven deaths and a record 104 heat-related burn injuries in June, July and August of last year. That was a 49% increase from the year before, the center's news release said.

"Almost all of those patients required surgery, which included for burn excision and skin grafting," Foster said.

Eighty-five of those patients were admitted with burns caused by contact with hot pavement, but metal car door handles, seat belt buckles and hot leather car seats can also cause burns, Foster said.

Metal benches and tables and playground equipment also are potential hazards. Even "cool deck" poolside coatings can get hot enough to cause a burn, the AP reported.

Infants and toddlers are especially susceptible to surface burns, the center said, and parents should touch anything first that might touch their children.

Older people who are prone to falling are also more vulnerable to such burns. The center suggested they keep a towel or blanket with them that can be put under them if they fall and can't get up immediately.

According to Foster, the elderly and people with medical conditions should avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day.

Even healthy people should stay hydrated and avoid getting intoxicated if they have to go out, he also said. Otherwise, they could fall on the hot pavement and get burned.

Everyone should wear sturdy shoes with thick, protective soles whenever walking outside, the burn center said.

The situation is likely to become a common summer occurrence as climate change causes temperatures to continue to rise and cities continue to expand and add even more pavement to the landscape.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.