EBS STAFF
According to a press release from Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 49-year-old Jason D. Wicks of Hillman, Michigan sustained thermal burns and faces criminal charges for alleged off-trail travel in Yellowstone National Park. Wicks was in the thermal area of the park and was charged with being “under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the degree he was a danger to himself or others,” according to the release.
Yellowstone National Park explained that the ground in hydrothermal areas can be very thin and fragile and just below the surface is scalding hot water, according to the release. The park mandates that visitors remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise “extreme” caution around thermal features.