7 Heat Related Rescues in OC Back Country, including Laguna Niguel, Irvine area

There were seven different emergency calls over the weekend related to high temperatures and rescue of hikers from remote areas across Orange County.

Two rescues were cited, originating in the Laguna Niguel area, one in Irvine, and two off of the Ortega Highway according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

"When people go hiking in high heat, they tend to not take enough water and get easily dehydrated," Orange County Fire Authority Captain Larry Kurtz said. "It is a combination of people underestimating the temperature and the effect the weather can have, with not bringing enough water to stay hydrated."

Rescues from Laguna Beach's Canyon Trail near Emerald Bay, and the Top of the World area were also mentioned in the report. Five individuals rescued from the back country of Orange County were removed by emergency personnel and taken to local hospitals for heat related injuries.

Avoiding such situations is key, according to Kurtz. Dehydration will happen fast in such high temperatures.

Many drinks--such as soda and caffeinated beverages--act as diuretics and will work to dehydrate you quicker in extreme weather.

High temperatures such as the high pressure system parked over Orange County can catch even the most experienced hiker unprepared.

"There is also an over reliance on cell phones as a lifeline," Kurtz said. "There are many areas in the back country where you get no bars on your cell phone. People try to call for assistance and they can't get a signal."

In such cases, panic can ensue. That worry goes beyond just the hiker, and oftentimes goes to the friends or family who have watched time pass since their loved one should have called in.

"If you are hiking, someone should always know where you are and when you will return," Kurtz said. "In two cases over the weekend, we were contacted by a third party, when hikers hadn't arrived where they should have been in an allotted period of time."

Over the weekend of June 18 and 19, OCFA search crews found two hikers who were not in need of rescuing and helicoptered two individuals out to area hospitals others were taken by ground.

"If there is a way to stay indoors, we recommend that you do so," Kurtz said. "If you do go outside, bring plenty of water with you. Stay hydrated. Think about the amount of water you would usually take along, and take more."

With Excessive Heat Warnings across southern California, the Orange County Fire Authority, with the National Weather Service, warns all to know the differences between Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion.

Either way, with temperatures in the region ranging from the high 90s to 1o8 in some cities, Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion are nothing to mess with.