Woman falls into thermal feature in closed Yellowstone park

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. (AP) — A woman who illegally entered Yellowstone National Park while it was closed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus suffered burns Tuesday when she fell into a thermal feature, park officials said.

The woman was reportedly backing up while taking photos and fell into a hot spring or fumarole near Old Faithful Geyser, park spokesperson Linda Veress said in an email.

The woman got into her car and was driving north when she was stopped by park rangers near Mammoth Hot Springs. Due to her injuries, she was flown to the burn center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Park officials did not release the woman’s name or the extent of her injuries.

Yellowstone National Park has been closed to the public since March 24. Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks will announce plans for a phased reopening on Wednesday.