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A woman in her 60s from Windsor, New Hampshire, experienced severe burns in an accident at a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park this week, as confirmed by park officials. The incident took place near Mallard Lake Trailhead at Old Faithful when the woman, who was off-trail with her husband and their leashed dog, unknowingly stepped through a fragile crust over scalding water. This resulted in the woman sustaining second- and third-degree burns to her lower leg, while her husband and the dog remained unharmed.

The injured woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, received immediate medical attention at a park clinic before being evacuated by air to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further treatment. This mishap represents the first recorded thermal-related injury in Yellowstone this year, prompting park authorities to emphasize the necessity of exercising extreme caution while navigating hydrothermal regions by adhering to designated boardwalks and trails. In these areas, the ground cover is thin, concealing scorching water just beneath the surface, posing significant risks to individuals who venture off marked paths.

Visitors are sternly advised against bringing pets onto boardwalks, hiking trails, or into thermal zones within the backcountry, in line with regulations outlined by the National Park Service. The precarious nature of hydrothermal regions tragically underscored the consequences of the recent incident, as the injured woman grapples with the aftermath of the burns sustained during her ill-fated hike. Official reports suggest that an investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and adherence to safety guidelines within Yellowstone National Park.