Burning Man attendees leave after floods stranded many in Nevada desert.
Stranded Partygoers Begin Exodus from Burning Man Festival
BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev.—After days of being stranded due to muddy roads, tens of thousands of partygoers at the Burning Man festival are finally able to make their way out of the northern Nevada desert. The roads have dried up enough to allow traffic to flow, although organizers are still encouraging attendees to delay their exit until Tuesday to ease congestion. Currently, approximately 64,000 people remain at the festival site.
Organizers have also requested that attendees refrain from walking out of the Black Rock Desert, as some have done throughout the weekend, including celebrity DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock. The reasons for this request have not been specified.
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The festival had been closed to vehicles due to heavy rain and subsequent flooding, which resulted in foot-deep mud. These road closures occurred just before the ceremonial fires, which traditionally mark the end of the festival, were scheduled to begin on Saturday night. However, the fires were postponed as authorities worked to reopen exit routes by the end of the Labor Day weekend.
Weather conditions are expected to be mostly clear and dry on Monday, with the possibility of light rain showers on Tuesday morning. The festival, which began on August 27, was originally scheduled to conclude on Monday morning, with attendees responsible for packing up and cleaning up after themselves.
Scott London, a photographer from Southern California, expressed that despite the dirt and mud, spirits remain high and the party continues. He mentioned that the travel limitations have provided a unique perspective of Burning Man that many don’t usually get to experience.
Burning Man, an annual gathering that originated on a San Francisco beach in 1986, attracts nearly 80,000 artists, musicians, and activists for a combination of wilderness camping and avant-garde performances. Disruptions have become somewhat common in recent years, with dust storms causing temporary closures in 2018 and the event being canceled twice during the pandemic.
While there has been one reported fatality, organizers have stated that the death of a man in his 40s was not weather-related. The sheriff of nearby Pershing County is currently investigating the incident.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation at Burning Man, including the reported death, and the White House is in contact with local authorities.
The festival is known for its remote location and emphasis on self-sufficiency. Despite the challenges posed by the flooding, most attendees have remained at the site, conserving their food and water. However, some have managed to walk several miles to the nearest town or catch a ride.
Celebrities like Diplo and Chris Rock have shared their experiences of navigating the muddy conditions. Diplo posted a video on Instagram showing him and Rock hitching a ride in the back of a fan’s pickup truck after walking six miles through the mud.
As the exodus from Burning Man begins, partygoers like Cindy Bishop and her friends are relieved to have successfully driven their rented RV out of the festival, despite getting stuck multiple times along the way.
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