© Cindy McGill/FacebookThe Burning Man Festival Grounds in Black Rock City, Nevada, are covered in mud Sept. 2, 2023, after monsoon storms dumped more than a half-inch of rain.
Tens of thousands of people who were attending the Burning Man festival in remote western Nevada remain stranded and have been told to shelter in place after monsoon rains led to flash flooding, and local authorities confirmed that they are investigating at least one death that was reported during the rain event.
Event organizers told the more than 73,000 people attending the Burning Man festival to hunker down, conserve resources and prepare for more rain and flooding.
"Look out for your neighbors, introduce yourself," event organizers said in a statement. "Conserve your food, water and fuel. If you have extra, share with your neighbors. This is always common sense in a wilderness environment."
Those who attend the Burning Man festival must be self-sufficient by bringing all their essential living needs. Cell service is also not readily available, and only some people can access satellite internet for updates.
At least 1 dead at Burning Man
Roads into and out of the Burning Man festival were closed until further notice, and most festival operations have been halted or significantly delayed, according to the Pershing County Sheriff's Office.
Heavy rain pounded the area for several hours, leading to a muddy mess and conditions that made it virtually impossible for vehicles to drive on the playa. Those conditions continued on Sunday, but some vehicles were able to make it out.
© Julie Jammot/AFPTens of thousands of drenched Burning Man festivalgoers were stranded on September 3, 2023, in deep, sticky mud in the Nevada desert after torrential rain turned the gathering into a quagmire.
Burning Man organizers said that since it's still too wet and muddy, roads have remained closed.
The sheriff's office said there had been some group of people who were able to walk to a local road and were awaiting transport by Burning Man staff.
The sheriff's office also said it was investigating a death that occurred during the rain and flooding.
Officials provided few details but said the victim's family had been notified, and the death would remain under investigation.
More rain expected across the region
The National Weather Service in Reno said cool and unsettled weather will continue on Sunday, with more rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected. A few of those storms could be strong across western Nevada, but warmer and drier conditions would move in on Labor Day.
Black Rock Playa, where the Burning Man festival takes place, was formed from the remnants of Lake Lahontan, which disappeared about 9,000 years ago.
The organizers of the Burning Man festival encouraged those who were attending the festival to bring goggles or face coverings due to the extreme weather conditions that have caused issues with blowing sand and dust in the past.
Last year, during a western heat wave, the festival was almost ruined by a dust and wind combination. Visibility dropped to almost zero, causing concertgoers to wander through Nevada's Black Rock Desert.
© FOX WeatherFlood alerts in effect through Sunday, September 3, 2023.
Flood Watches remain in effect across central and northern Nevada, northwestern Utah, southern Idaho and eastern Oregon due to the heavy rain that is forecast.
Those will remain in effect through Sunday.
Reader Comments
After talking with a participant from Canada a few years back (a healthcare worker), no violence has erupted, in all the years that this has been in operation, it is a so called ecologically sensitive, with no trace of entry, left on the landscape, once the venue closes down.
It seems strange to me that this time in the history of the Burning Man festival, it has challenges.
Remember the miles and miles of vehicles attempting to enter the area, it was blocked by some crazy environmental group. And it was shown on the news. A group of Navahoe Rangers dispersing the group, all wailing about their rights. On Navahoe Land.
For gods sake, such hypocrisy. Please spare me the SJW narrative, climate and god knows what they will strap onto there ideology.
And now we see a deluge in the area, with one fatality....when anyone loses their life in such tragic circumstances, it is tragic.
So the question remains, a free speech zone of people gathering together, no violence, just one big rave, exchange of ideas, And many involved are highly intelligent, willing to express ideas and share thoughts.
Just saying a convenient deluge from mother nature, where they have declared an emergency.
Will this be the last we see of the Burning Man.in the US.The Burning Man festival the last bastion in the West of social freedom?
Most importantly he says it's a great experiment & practice should the GRID go down. Living without power, though we know certain weinies like Elon Musk and other cor-pirate types bring generators and minions to tend to and run their camp. Bartering for goods and free will giving/sharing. I've seen the ART EXHIBITIONS afterwards every year and they must spend the whole of the year planing and making scaled replicas. Absolutely incredible ART.
I made wildlife films for 20 years, lived without power, camped in dust, dry, wet, raining conditions, ate packaged crap food that you pour boiling water into and mix in emergencies. Though on a luxurious side, it was usually though not always next to a creek/stream so I could bathe in the water. Though the Tanami Desert in OZ was as dry as a dingoes donger, as the locals say! So, I've never felt the need to go and take my clothes off, do mass quantities of drugs and eat sand for days............
Trouble in Honalee!!
The times will pass, the societies will pass, but the resistance will live on... one way or another.
Burning Man may have failed, but human warmth will still triumph.