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City of Phoenix to consider closing hiking trails during extreme heat

Posted at 6:53 AM, Jun 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-29 21:51:48-04

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board will hold a meeting Thursday to consider closing hiking trails during extreme heat.

The proposal would have Phoenix trails closed when the temperature reaches 110 degrees or higher.

Under the proposal, hikers would also not be allowed to bring dogs on trails when the temperature is at or above 100 degrees.

The city has not said what consequences would be for people who violate these rules if they’re put in place.

"Some people are not aware of how they feel at the moment and they continue pushing and it's very dangerous," said Haydee Ward, a visiting hiker from Virginia. 

"There was one weekend where we had a rash of incidents across the city not just in Phoenix but across the other part of the metropolitan part of the area," Inger Erickson, Parks and Recreation Director, said. "We really think it's time to start looking at this." 

The Phoenix Fire Department say it's the busiest department in the world for mountain rescues, and expects to respond to about 200 rescues in 2016.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday at City Council Chambers.