Nevada
‘A busy summer’: 23 hospitalized for pavement burns at UMC in June
Stephen Cantwell was betting on horses at the Wynn sportsbook on June 21, winning and taking shots of tequila in celebration.
About six shots deep, Cantwell decided to go get sushi at Fashion Show Mall, which is just across the street from the Wynn. The next thing he remembers is waking up in the hospital with burns on nearly 7 percent of his body.
“I definitely passed out and fell on the pavement,” said Cantwell, 59, who said he was found unconscious by bystanders on the sidewalk outside the mall. “I don’t know how long I was there. I woke up here in the hospital, and then I look over and I got all these blisters on me.”
Cantwell was one of at least 23 people hospitalized for pavement burns at University Medical Center’s Lions Burn Care Center in June, according to UMC spokesperson Scott Kerbs.
Last June, only three people were admitted to the burn care center for pavement burns.
June 2024 was the hottest June in Las Vegas history “almost any way you slice it,” according to the National Weather Service. The average daily high temperature in June, for example, was 106.2 degrees. That’s 1.2 degrees hotter than the June average high temperature has ever been.
And July is Las Vegas’ hottest month. As of July 5, the average daily high temperature this month was 110.8. The hottest average high temperature for July in Las Vegas history was 109.4.
“A dangerous and historic heatwave is just getting started across the area,” the Las Vegas forecast office of the National Weather Service said in a forecast discussion posted online Saturday afternoon. Saturday’s high was 115.
But Sunday could be a record-breaker. That’s when the temperature in Las Vegas could hit 118, weather service meteorologist Barry Pierce said. Tuesday and Wednesday could also see highs of 118, Pierce said.
It has never been that hot in Las Vegas before.
“We’re bracing ourselves for a busy summer,” said Syed Saquib, a burn surgeon and the medical director of the burn care center.
Saquib cares for burn injuries of all kinds, including ones caused by flames, chemicals, electrical currents and hot surfaces like pavement. Pavement burns are often much deeper than other kinds of burns, he said.
Sometimes, all of the tissue of a body part, except muscle and bone, must be removed from the wounded area due to a pavement burn, according to Saquib. After suffering a third- or fourth-degree burn, a person will typically need surgeries to remove the unhealthy tissue and cover the injured area by skin grafting, he said.
Cantwell said he suffered second- and third-degree burns on his left arm, backside and leg. He needed multiple surgeries and was discharged from University Medical Center on July 4, he said.
Burn injuries aren’t supposed to be exposed to water, so Cantwell won’t be able to take a shower for quite a while. He also needs to avoid exposing his injuries, as well as recently healed patches of skin, to sunlight, he said. It’ll be about a year until Cantwell can resume swimming, his preferred method of exercise.
The first horse race he bet on got underway at 11:30 a.m., Cantwell said. He thinks he left the casino to grab sushi an hour and a half later. The temperature at Harry Reid International Airport was 102 at 1 p.m. on June 21, according to the National Weather Service.
Saquib said pavement in summertime in a place like Las Vegas can get hotter than 160 degrees. Just “a few minutes” of contact with pavement at that temperature can cause a severe burn, he added.
When he collapsed, Cantwell was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, he said. Pavement can burn skin through clothing, especially thin garments, no problem, according to Saquib.
Saquib said he couldn’t be certain why so many more people were admitted to the burn care center for pavement burns this June, compared with last June. In July and August of 2023, there were 26 and 13 hospitalizations, respectively, Kerbs said.
Those who have suffered severe burns from pavement this year have, by and large, gotten their injuries in the same ways as people in the past, Saquib said.
Many of Saquib’s pavement burn patients are people who’ve passed out on the pavement, he said. People pass out for all sorts of reasons. Maybe they are under the influence or badly dehydrated. A person could have a seizure when no one is around to see him or her fall.
Occasionally, those with advanced diabetes who can’t really feel the soles of their feet will walk barefoot on the pavement and suffer burns because they don’t think it’s so hot, Saquib said. People who fall on the pavement and can’t get up quickly enough may suffer burns. Sometimes kids get pavement burns by walking outside barefoot and not realizing they can hurt themselves that way.
Jim Andersen, chief of code enforcement for Clark County Animal Protection Services, said the county receives complaints every year about people walking their dogs on pavement during times of extreme heat.
If a pet owner can’t hold a hand on the pavement for more than seven seconds, it’s too hot for a dog’s paws, Andersen said. Dog shoes, if their soles are thick enough, can protect a pet from pavement burns, he added.
Saquib said humans can protect themselves from pavement burns by wearing shoes with thick soles as well. Drinking plenty of water and seeking shade when outdoors may prevent one from passing out from dehydration.
Saquib keeps a small cloth in his car to use when gripping the steering wheel, if it’s too hot when he hops in the car, he said. He will also use a cloth to turn the knob on the front door of his apartment.
“Any metallic surface in the desert heat can heat up and can cause burns,” Saquib added.
Contact Peter Breen at pbreen@reviewjournal.com.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed Nevada Democrats who packed a Las Vegas brewery Wednesday evening for a discussion about his upbringing, his political life and efforts his state has taken to combat the Trump administration agenda.
Newsom, who has been floated as a possible White House contender for 2028, sidestepped a quip from former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak who introduced him as the next U.S. president amid cheers from the crowd.
“I’m very grateful for your friendship, and a friendship that’s only strengthened over the course of the last year or so,” Newsom told Sisolak.
Book tour stop
The event, which served as a book tour stop for the California governor, was organized by the Nevada Democratic Party. It took place at Nevada Brew Works near Summerlin.
Nevada Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the state party chair running for North Las Vegas mayor, moderated the discussion.
It was part of the party’s Local Brews + National Views series that’s been bringing Democrats for similar discussions at intimate venues. Past speakers have included former President Joe Biden, Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Criticizing President Donald Trump, Newsom spoke about the immediate aftermath of the 2024 general election.
“We were handwringing, a lot of finger pointing, and a sense of weakness,” Newsom said. “And just incapable of dealing with this moment, this existential moment.”
He said he is taking account for what he described as his own complicity.
“This happened on my watch. This is all happening on our watch,” Newsom said. “And so I realized that I needed to be better.”
That included his advocacy to redraw California’s Congressional map after Trump called for the same in Texas, he said.
“They’re not screwing around, nor are we,” he said about Trump and his administration. “All of us.”
‘You’re giving us a voice’
Newsom spoke out against the surge of federal immigration enforcement operations in California and later Minnesota, calls from the Trump administration to nationalize elections, and cuts to government funding due to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
He said that pushback against Trump’s policies, including dozens of lawsuits filed by California, were making the president retreat on some of his proposals and policies.
“You’re filling the void, you’re giving us a voice, you’re giving us courage,” he told the crowd. “For things to change, we have to change. And it’s changing.”
The Republican National Committee reacted to Newsom’s Las Vegas visit. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private Boulder City event.
“Democrats are selling out to the spoiled, phony rich kid governor from California for years,” RNC spokesperson Nick Poche wrote in a statement. “President Donald Trump and Republicans are delivering major tax cuts and keeping Nevadans safe, unlike Democrats.”
The national Republican Party also criticized California’s policies, and tied them back to Nevada Democrats.
Most of Newsom’s remarks weren’t specific to Nevada. He didn’t take any questions from media.
Polling shows Newsom and Vice President JD Vance leading in hypothetical races for their parties’ nomination. That includes a survey of likely Nevada voters conducted one by Emerson College Polling in November.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – It’s time to “free your heels” and embrace Tahoe’s winter recreation at the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival on March 7. Whether you’re a seasoned pro at cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, or you’re trying to get your feet wet, Saturday’s event is teeming with nature, brews, and camaraderie.
Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is teaming up with Nevada Nordic, Tahoe Multisport, Alibi Ale Works, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and other local partners in the wondrous Tahoe Meadows, providing attendees a chance to engage with outdoor recreation experts, check out free cross-country and snowshoe rentals, and more.
“We’re excited to see the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival enter its second year, building on last year’s strong community response. In collaboration with our local partners, this event is thoughtfully curated with residents in mind – offering free equipment for the day, expert instruction, locally crafted brews, and other experiences in a welcoming setting,” said Andy Chapman, President and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada. “It’s designed to make it easy for residents to get outside, try something new, and bring people together. Events like this reflect the spirit of North Lake Tahoe and what’s possible when our community comes together.”
Along with opportunities to test out free demos and rentals, there will be live music, beer tasting and races.
Tahoe Meadows is known for its gentle trails, and is a popular spot for snowshoeing due to its flat terrain. This event, located near Chickadee Ridge, will offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
This family-friendly event is on the second to last day of the 10-day SnowFest winter festival that’s been taking place in the North Lake Tahoe area. It starts bright and early at 9 a.m. and will close out at 2 p.m.
“Nevada Nordic is thrilled to be a part of SnowFest again this year,” said Meghan Pry, Nevada Nordic Board Member. “We love sharing our passion for cross-country skiing and watching our community grow. We are proud to keep winter recreation accessible by offering free access to our 20km trail network. This is the perfect opportunity for our community to gather together and free our heels!”
For more information about the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival or to check out the SnowFest schedule, visit tahoesnowfest.org.
A swarm of earthquakes has been rattling a remote stretch of central Nevada near Tonopah, including a magnitude 4.0 quake that hit near Warm Springs Tuesday morning.
Seismologists said the activity is typical for Nevada, where clusters of earthquakes can flare up in a concentrated area. “This is a very Nevada-style earthquake sequence. We have these a lot where we just see an uptick in activity in a certain spot,” said Christie Rowe, director of the Nevada Seismological Lab.
The latest magnitude 4.0 quake struck east of Tonopah near Warm Springs. The largest earthquake in the swarm so far has measured a 4.2.
What has stood out to researchers is the fault involved. Rowe said the earthquakes are occurring along a fault stretching along the southern edge of the Monitor and Antelope ranges — and that it was previously unknown to scientists. “We didn’t know this fault was there. It’s a new fault to us — not to the Earth, obviously — but it was previously unknown,” Rowe said.
For now, the earthquakes have remained moderate. Rowe said the lab would not deploy additional temporary sensors unless activity increases to around a magnitude 5 or greater.
Seismologists said they are continuing to watch the swarm closely as Nevada works to bring the ShakeAlert early warning system to the state. The program, already active in neighboring states, can send cellphone alerts seconds before shaking arrives. “For me, it’s a really high priority. That distance to the faults gives us enough time to warn people — and that can make a big difference in reducing injuries and damage,” Rowe said.
Seismologists encouraged anyone who feels shaking to report it through the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It” system, saying even small quakes can help scientists better understand Nevada’s seismic activity.
Experts said the swarm is worth monitoring but is not cause for alarm. They noted that earthquakes like the 5.8 that hit near Yerington in December 2024 typically happen in Nevada about every eight to 10 years, and said they will continue monitoring the current activity closely.
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