With Victorians well and truly in the summer season, Victoria police are asking people to plan their outdoor hiking adventures carefully to avoid complications or tragedy.
As multiple river beaches remain closed, Victorians and interstate tourists alike are heading to Victoria’s multiple parks and reserves.
The Conservation Regulator, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Parks Victoria are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to visit the state’s forests this summer.
Victoria police are advising would-be hikers to plan their trips and to ensure that family members or friends are aware of their plans, their proposed location and the route they are taking.
Planning includes researching potential trips using a current map and seeking advice from experience walkers and authorities.
Walkers are advised to also pack for the conditions which includes carrying plenty of water, sufficient food and wearing appropriate clothing.
With summer temperatures regularly going above 30℃ the risk of heat stroke for unprepared walkers increases dramatically.
Heat stroke is fatal in up to 80 per cent of cases.
Symptoms of heat stroke can include nausea, dizziness, headache and muscle cramps, hot dry red skin, confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Hikers are advised to carry a physical up-to-date map as mobile phones and GPs’s may not function correctly in isolated areas.
Police are also advising travellers to check weather conditions on the day as high heat also increases the risk of bushfires.
Should hikers get lost while travelling, police say it is paramount not to panic.
Instead hikers should remain calm, re-check their navigation and consult with a map.
Retracing footsteps or gaining some height may assist hikers in reorientating themselves.
Should this fail, Victoria police advise stranded hikers to stay where they are, not separate if in a group and make themselves visible to any rescuers coming via land or air.