Burning Man Attendees Forced to Take Shelter as Nevada Floods Rage On
Thousands of Burning Man attendees trekked through sloppy muck on Saturday, many barefoot or wearing plastic bags on their feet, as flooding from storms rushed through the Nevada desert and forced festival organizers to close vehicular access. The revelers were exhorted to stay put and conserve food, water, and other supplies.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which administers the Black Rock Desert where the festival is being held, vehicular gates will be closed for the duration of the festival, which began on August 27 and was scheduled to conclude on Monday. Festival organizers implored attendees to conserve food, water, and fuel.Â
The Black Rock City Municipal Airport, a transient airport used by Burning Man attendees every summer, was closed as of Saturday evening, according to the festival.Â
“All event access is currently closed,” the festival announced, and only emergency vehicles were permitted to drive.Â
The Reno Gazette Journal reported that organizers began restricting ice sales and that all vehicle traffic on the expansive festival grounds was halted, preventing the servicing of portable restrooms. Â
Officials have not yet indicated when the entrance will reopen, and it was unclear when celebrants would be permitted to exit the grounds.
Read Also: Presence of Lead and Heavy Metals Detected in Blood and Urine of Marijuana Consumers
Weather Challenges and Unconventional Adventures at Burning Man Festival
The festival site, located approximately 110 miles north of Reno, is estimated to have received more than a half-inch of precipitation on Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno. The festival’s website indicated a probability of showers and thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday, with a quarter-inch of precipitation predicted for Sunday.Â
Saturday afternoon, superstar DJ and music producer Diplo posted a video to social media that appeared to show comedian Chris Rock traveling on the back of a truck departing the festival. Â
“Just walked 5 miles in the mud out of burning man with chris rock and a fan picked us up,” Diplo wrote.  Â
Another DJ, Spencer Brown, posted on social media on Saturday that there was “absolutely crazy flooding right now, but I, along with my camp, am safe with plenty of water, food, and shelter. Turning off the Starlink to conserve power.”Â
The Gazette Journal reported that many people played beer pong, danced, and plunged in stagnant water. Mike Jed, a festival-goer, and his fellow campers created a bucket toilet so that festival-goers would not have to trek through the dirt as frequently to reach the portable toilets.
Jed stated, “If it really turns into a disaster, well, no one is going to have sympathy for us.” “I mean, it’s the Burning Man.”
Read Also: Chinese Users Embrace Domestic Alternatives to ChatGPT
Source: CBS News
