Health & Fitness

Phoenix To Make Trail Closures On Extreme Heat Days Permanent

This summer the city did a trial run on closing Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain during extreme-heat days.

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Caitlin Sievers, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
The closures are meant to prevent firefighters from having to rescue hikers on extremely hot days, putting themselves at risk of heat illness.
The closures are meant to prevent firefighters from having to rescue hikers on extremely hot days, putting themselves at risk of heat illness. (David Allen/Patch)

PHOENIX, AZ — The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board decided Thursday to make it a permanent policy to close the city's most challenging hiking trails on extremely hot days.

The city did a trial run this summer, closing trails from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain on days that the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings.

Local fire fighters had urged the city to consider closing that trails on particularly hot days after several fire fighters suffered heat-related illnesses while rescuing hikers on those trails.

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