Pierce Brosnan is in hot water, accused of trespassing in a Yellowstone thermal area

CHEYENNE, Wyo.– Pierce Brosnan, whose fictional film character James Bond has often found himself in hot water, is now facing heat in real life, having to go out of bounds into a thermal area during a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park.

Brosnan was walking in a restricted area at Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone near the Wyoming-Montana line, on Nov. 1, according to two federal citations issued Tuesday.

Brosnan, 70, is scheduled to appear in court on January 23 in the courtroom of the world's oldest national park. The Associated Press sent a request for comment to his Instagram account and email messages to his agent and attorney on Thursday.

Yellowstone officials declined to comment. Brosnan was at the park on a personal visit and not for film work, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Wyoming said.

Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot with mineral-covered hot springs bubbling out of a hillside. They're just a few of the park's hundreds of thermal features, ranging from gushing geysers to gurgling mud pots, with water at or near boiling point.

Crossing the line in such areas can be dangerous: Some of the millions of people who visit Yellowstone each year suffer serious burns if they ignore warnings not to stray from the trail.

Getting caught can also bring legal danger, with prison sentences, large fines and entry bans regularly imposed on offenders.

In addition to his four James Bond films, Brosnan starred in the 1980s TV series “Remington Steele” and is known for his leading roles in the films “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.”