Festival gates have officially closed at Burning Man, an outdoor music and lifestyle festival in Nevada, after heavy rains damaged the site.
“Do not travel to Black Rock City! Access to the city is closed for the remainder of the event, and you will be turned around,” Burning Man Project announced on X. The festival site is controlled by the Beauro of Land Management and they have officially closed the event.
Festival organizers have asked attendees trapped at the festival to conserve resources including fuel, water and food. Driving is limited only to emergency vehicles as the mud has made it a logistical nightmare.
The Reno Gazette Journal estimated that nearly 73,000 people were expected to attend Burning Man this year. While the rainfall totaled less than one inch, it was enough to turn the dry conditions into mud. Because of the conditions, some festival goers have reportedly been using a bucket instead of risking getting stuck in the mud on the way to portable toilets.
Is there an ebola outbreak at Burning Man?
Adding further confusion to the emergency, false reports of an ebola outbreak at the festival started circulating online. The news was being shared so quickly that Forbes penned a fact check article titled “No,There’s Not An Ebola Outbreak At Burning Man.”
How did the storm happen at Burning Man?
The flooding, which temporarily turned the desert into a clay like substance, is the result of Hurricane Hilary. The state of Nevada has declared a National Emergency as many roadways in the state are experiencing hazardous conditions.
Several attendees shared a video on TikTok of them allegedly hiking over five miles to escape.
“Barely made it out of Black Rock City to avoid the 2 day lockdown,” Grace Barr said.
There is currently no timeline as to when the festival gates will reopen and attendees will be permitted to exit the grounds. More rain is expected to hit the festival before the official ending.
Burning Man Releases Official Wet Playa Survival Guide
Burning Man released official guidelines for attendees late Saturday night.
“We need to count on one another to be patient and create safe conditions for our departure. We do not currently have an estimated time for the roads to be dry enough for RVs or vehicles to navigate safely,” the statement said. “Monday late in the day would be possible if weather conditions are in our favor. We will let you know. It could be sooner, and it could be later.”
The statement advised attendees to cover their shoes with socks to avoid getting stuck in the mud. Currently only four-wheel-drive vehicles are capable of navigating the terrain.
“It is possible to walk to the blacktop County Road 34. If you do this make sure you have water and the strength to walk as much as 5 miles through the mud. This isn’t a simple solution, but it is a possible one should you need or want to make the trek,” the guide said.
Follow Americana Weekly on X @americanaweekly for updates on the Burning Man festival.
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