So far this weekend, the Phoenix Fire Department has carried out several rescue efforts on North Mountain and South Mountain hiking trails.
Fire Captain Kenny Overton says it’s time to start taking extra caution as Arizona experiences temperatures in the triple digits.
“There's always a significant amount of rescues during the summer," Overton said. "It gets hot out — people underestimate really how physical it is to go hiking on some of our mountains and trails. So by doing a couple simple things, you can take better precautions to have a more successful hike and have a good time."
Overton says hikers should drink plenty of water, dress appropriately, make sure they have a fully charged cellphone and wear protective gear like hats and sunscreen.
On Friday, firefighters also had to treat a man after he was bitten by a rattlesnake, another hazard hikers need to beware of.
