By admin 
GRAND CANYON, AZ (AZFamily) At least four people have died this month while hiking trails at the Grand Canyon as intense June heat grips Arizona.
Read more Father grieves loss of pregnant daughter, grandson after Phoenix crash
First responders say the same tragedy could happen on Valley trails this week as the region heads into an extreme heat watch starting Wednesday.
On June 12, a 72-year-old man was found not moving on the South Kaibab Trail. On June 16, a 67-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found on the North Kaibab Trail. On June 3, an 18-year-old hiker died on the Bright Angel Trail after experiencing heat-related symptoms.
“It can happen to anybody at any age, at any ability,” said Brian Speciale, host of Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show.
Speciale, an experienced canyon hiker and hiking podcast host, said these stories are a reminder of how quickly a Grand Canyon hike can turn deadly.
“It can be so deceptive, especially for a tourist who’s never been to the Grand Canyon before,” Speciale said.
The National Park Service says the bottom of the canyon can be 15 to even 30 degrees warmer than the South Rim. Speciale said hikers have to train and plan for that because once they drop below the rim, they have to hike back out.
“Just because it’s a national park, just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean that you are immune from potentially losing your life by dropping below the rim,” Speciale said.
Read more Backyard blaze erupts after Arizona monsoon lightning strike
“Hiking in the Grand Canyon, it’s just, it’s serious business,” he said.
With the Valley experiencing extreme heat this week, first responders are warning about the dangers of hiking on trails.
“Anytime it’s extremely hot, we say stay off the trails, find a different way to get your exercise,” said Capt. DJ Lee with Phoenix Fire.
Lee said they continue to see an increase in mountain rescue calls for something that could easily be avoided.
“Listen to your body, if your body starts telling you ‘Hey I’m hot, starting to get nauseous’ things like that don’t push yourself,” Lee said. “Turn around, come back earlier. It’s better than having to call us out there.”
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Read more SARA sees fewer heat-related calls, prepares for extreme heat warning