As heat warnings are issued across the United States, soaring temperatures are transforming pavements and playgrounds into hazardous areas. The burn center at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, Arizona, reported a record number of contact burn patients last year, which included 15 fatalities. Dr. Kevin Foster, the medical director of the burn center, stated, "It is definitely related to temperatures. No question about that."

An analysis of 16 years of data by Foster and his team revealed a direct link between rising summer temperatures, attributed to climate change, and an increase in burn cases. In 2008, when the average summer temperature in Arizona was around 107 degrees Fahrenheit, there were only nine reported contact burn cases. By 2023, as the average temperature climbed to 113 degrees, the number of burn cases surged to 120. "Once it gets super-hot, then the number of burns goes up and the acuity, the seriousness of those burns, likewise goes up," Foster explained.

Phoenix is actively addressing the health impacts of extreme heat. The city has applied a special asphalt coating on 140 miles of streets to help reduce surface temperatures. Robert Wooley, a 76-year-old resident who experienced a burn injury, emphasized the danger of hot surfaces, saying, "The ground is a lot hotter than the air. That contact with the hot ground is potentially lethal."

Wooley suffered contact burns on 20% of his body after losing his balance in his backyard on a scorching day. He described the painful aftermath, stating, "I just couldn't get back up and I looked at my hands in the skin that peeled off my hands, like the skin from an onion and looked like raw hamburger underneath."

Children are also at risk for severe burns. A toddler recently sustained first-degree burns on his feet after running on hot pavement but made a full recovery following treatment. Dr. Foster cautioned, "You really have to think about it ahead of time. It happens so quickly and once it's happened, you can't go back."

As temperatures continue to rise, awareness and preventive measures are crucial to protect individuals from the dangers of contact burns.