Burning Man Festival Attendees Urged to Conserve Resources and Stay in Place as Rain Turns Event into Mud Bath
Tens of thousands of individuals, known as “burners,” attending the Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock desert have been instructed to remain in their camps, conserve food and water, and are being prevented from leaving the area due to heavy rain turning the festival grounds into a muddy mess.
Organizers have stated that the closures may continue as reports from the local area describe the conditions as “treacherous” and the mud as “thick and slimy, clinging to anything it touches.”
In a statement released at 5am on Saturday, event organizers declared, “No driving is permitted on playa except for emergency vehicles. If you are in Black Rock City, please shelter in place and stay safe.” They also advised attendees, or burners, to conserve food and water and find shelter in warm spaces as temperatures dropped into the 50s in the desert.
The inclement weather has disrupted the cleaning and emptying of thousands of portable toilets, and event organizers have warned that more rain is expected before the festival ends on Monday. As a result of the rain, several large-scale art burns have been canceled, and the fate of the festival centerpieces, including the burning of a human effigy and the “Temple of the Heart,” hangs in the balance.
This year’s Burning Man festival has faced unusual circumstances from the beginning, with the desert floor flooded by the remnants of Hurricane Hilary during setup. In addition, along with anti-capitalist environmental protesters briefly blocking the entrance to the festival, there have been reports that many regular attendees were trying to sell their tickets before the event began.
Last year, Burning Man drew approximately 80,000 people, but this year, only about 60,000 were expected, with many citing the extreme heat, dust, and eight-hour traffic jams when trying to leave. However, instead of dealing with heat, cold, and dust, this year’s attendees have been greeted by rain, cold temperatures, and thick mud. The conditions have drawn comparisons to the ill-fated 2017 Fyre Festival where party-goers in the Bahamas were left stranded without food or shelter.
In a reminiscent turn of events, the situation at Burning Man this year has also been compared to Woodstock ’94, where heavy rain transformed the festival into “Mudstock ’94.”
Despite the challenging conditions, attendees remain resilient. Bonnie Bliess, a Burning Man attendee, told the New York Post, “It’s really hot during the day and it’s cold at night, and the dust is really intense.”
The Burning Man festival continues to unfold amid the challenging weather, with organizers and attendees determined to make the most of the unique experience, even in the face of mud and rain.