Burning Man 2023 news: Exodus begins after flooding chaos as new details revealed about festival death

Burning Man attendees were permitted to begin exodus on Monday afternoon after severe flooding left thousands stuck on site.

After heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary caused the typically dry Nevada ground to turn into a slippery mud pit, organisers for the festival said people can begin leaving and the annual burning of the man will occur Monday evening – though it is still weather-dependent.

Due to the rain, the entrance to the festival was closed and revellers were urged to conserve water, food and fuel until the ground began to dry up.

Meanwhile, new details have been released about the death of a man at the Burning Man festival after around 70,000 attendees were trapped on the site in the midst of an unexpected storm.

On Sunday, Burning Man Communications said in a statement that the death was “unrelated to the weather”. The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the death.

The drama has led to the spread of rampant – and debunked – conspiracy theories online including false claims of an Ebola outbreak.

Key points

• What is Burning Man?

• Fact check: No, there's not an ebola outbreak at Burning Man

• Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal recounts ‘harrowing’ escape from Burning Man

• Burning Man’s ‘2023 Wet Playa Survival Guide’

• New details revealed about man’s death at Burning Man

Dead Burning Man reveler identified

04:39 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Authorities in Nevada have identified the Burning Man reveler who died as 32-year-old Leon Reece.

The Pershing County sheriff’s office on Monday said it had received a call around 6.24pm (local time) on Friday about an unresponsive man on the ground at Black Rock City.

The medical personnel at the festival were administering CPR to the man, sheriff Jerry Allen told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Due to the heavy rain on the playa, access to the area was delayed and by the time deputies arrived, the man was pronounced dead by the festival doctor.

Deputies conducted an investigation in the area of the playa where he was found. However, after interviewing witnesses and medical responders, no immediate cause of death was determined.

Satellite image shows overview of traffic leaving Burning Man festival

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Burning Man attendees reveal how they’re dealing with festival

06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

This year’s Burning Man festival was interrupted by torrential rains that caused the typically dry grounds to turn into a massive mud pit, but that didn’t stop attendees from enjoying their time in the Las Vegas desert.

Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Black Rock City, a temporary community in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, where they build and celebrate art and self-expression.

Campers, vans, cars, tents and other forms of temporary housing pop up in the middle of the desert as attendees exchange gifts and create art for nine days which culminates in the annual burning of an effigy shaped like a man.

Ariana Baio has more.

Burning Man attendees reveal how they’re dealing with festival washout

‘The Man’ burned at the Burning Man festival

05:51 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

ICYMI: What we know about 2023 Burning Man festival’s flooding chaos

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Burning Man is already a test of “radical self-sufficiency” for festival goers but the 2023 event brought more hurdles than most would have imagined.

The start of the counter-culture festival was delayed by a rare hurricane on the west coast. Then climate activists blocked the only road leading to the site in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert before being rammed by a tribal park ranger in his patrol truck. (That incident is now under investigation.)

Andrea Blanco reports:

What we know about 2023 Burning Man’s flooding chaos

Burners begin exodus with wait time of seven hours to leave the desert

05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Thousands of revelers stranded for days at the Burning Man festival began their exodus from the northern Nevada desert after organisers opened the gates.

Event organisers said they started to let traffic flow out of the main road around 2pm (local time), even as they continued urging attendees to delay their exit to help ease traffic on Monday.

About two hours after the mass departure began, organisers said the wait time was about seven hours.

Organisers also asked attendees not to walk out of the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles north of Reno, as others had done throughout the weekend including celebrity DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock.

A social media account associated with the Burning Man Project’s website said the Burner Express was back to its originally scheduled departures with one departure time on Tuesday 10am to Reno.

It would be the last Burner Express departure of the event, it said.

‘The Man’ to be burned tonight

04:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The penultimate event of burning “The Man” is scheduled for 9pm (local time) today, while the temple is set to go up in flames at 8pm on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in Reno said it should stay mostly clear and dry at the festival site Monday, although some light rain showers could pass through Tuesday morning.

“We are a little bit dirty and muddy, but spirits are high. The party still going,” said Scott London, a Southern California photographer, adding that the travel limitations offered “a view of Burning Man that a lot of us don’t get to see.”

The event began on 27 August and was scheduled to end Monday morning, with attendees packing up and cleaning up after themselves.

Despite the mud, Burners enjoy the festival

03:00 , Ariana Baio

Although photos and reports depict a grim scene of Burning Man this year, some TikTok videos show attendees enjoying the festival.

Those who look forward to the annual arts and culture festival were no match for the intense mud that took over the Burning Man grounds this year as they continued to make art and party – even if some celebrities fled the festival

Gerardo Mendoza, an attendee, told USA Today, “We had a great burn, just amazing. A little mud didn’t get us down.”

He added: “The whole point of the burn is self-reliance so we packed extra just in case.”

WATCH: Stranded Burning Man attendee insists they're 'keeping the party going'

02:00 , Ariana Baio

What is Burning Man?

01:00 , Ariana Baio

Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Black Rock City, a temporary community in the middle of the Black Rock Desert, where they build and admire art and self-expression.

Campers, vans, cars, tents and other forms of temporary housing pop up in the middle of the desert as attendees exchange gifts and create art for nine days which culminates in the annual burning of an effigy shaped like a man.

Typically, the festival produces art sculptures, interactive pieces, music and more.

The whole point of the festival is to experiment with creativity and community by coming together to exchange gifts in order to create something larger.

Unlike other festivals, there are no planned sets or headliners.

The festival “encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on their inner resources.”

00:44 , Kelly Rissman

“The Exodus time is approximately 4 hrs 45 minutes”

Burning Man disaster timeline: How did the desert festival go so terribly wrong?

00:00 , Ariana Baio

A tropical storm whipped up a muddy quagmire at the normally arid Black Rock City festival site, forcing ‘Burners’ to hunker down and ride out the conditions

Bevan Hurley reports:

Burning Man disaster timeline: How did the desert festival go so terribly wrong?

23:18 , Kelly Rissman

Organisers urge for attendees to wait a day before leaving

“Although Exodus has officially begin, consider delaying your departure from Black Rock City until Tuesday 9/5 if you can. This will alleviate large amounts of Exodus congestion throughout the day today, Monday 9/4. Drive safely!” the Burning Man Traffic account posted on X.

According to the Burning Man’s survival guide, “As of midday Monday 9/4, approximately 64,000 people remain on site.”

The Black Rock City airport has been closed for days and reopened earlier Monday. Since all passengers flying out of the BRC airport will be taken to Reno, the survival guide noted that the Reno-Tahoe airport airport “does not have the space or facilities for travelers needing a place to stay for long periods of time while plans are sorted out.”

Three-eyed ‘dinosaur shrimp’ are waking up in the Nevada desert after Burning Man washout

23:00 , Ariana Baio

Three-eyed “dinosaur shrimp” are stirring in the Nevada desert after flooding upended the Burning Man festival.

Triops and fairy shrimp are small crustaceans that can survive years lying dormant in drought conditions. They live in the ground in eggs until weather conditions such as floods can bring them to the surface, says IFL Science.

Amelia Neath reports:

Three-eyed ‘dinosaur shrimp’ are waking up in the desert after Burning Man washout

22:37 , Kelly Rissman

“Exodus operations have officially begun”

22:30 , Kelly Rissman

“Burners” unveil how they’re dealing with festival amid the mud and rain

As mud has taken over the festival’s desert landscape, attendees got creative.

So in true Burning Man spirit, some didn’t let a little bit of dirt get in the way of their partying.

Ariana Baio reports:

Burning Man attendees reveal how they’re dealing with festival washout

22:16 , Kelly Rissman

Black Rock City’s airport is back up and running

“Today all flights go to Reno,” the Burning Man Traffic’s X account said. The airport, which has a 6,000 foot runway, according to the festival’s website, is the “second busiest in Nevada during the eight days of operation.”

It had been closed for days due to weather but is now back up and running.

Climate activists block route to Burning Man

22:00 , Ariana Baio

On Sunday (28 August), nearly half a dozen protestors from the climate activist group Seven Circles stood in the middle of the road used to enter the desert venue. Others chained themselves to a trailer parked on the road.

Surrounded by signs and banners that read “Burners of the World, Unite!”, “Abolish Capitalism” and “General Strike for Climate”, the group said their protests were designed to draw attention to “capitalism’s inability to address climate’s ecological breakdown”, according to the New York Post.

They added that their protests were aimed at the “popularisation of Burning Man among affluent people who do not live the stated values of Burning Man, resulting in the commodification of the event.”

Seven Circles argued that the event’s goal of becoming carbon-negative by 2030 is “insufficient to tackle the pressing crisis”.

Man burn scheduled for 9pm

21:00 , Ariana Baio

Organisers at Burning Man said they are scheduling the man burn for 9pm local time on Monday.

Due to wet conditions, caused by scattered rainstorms on Sunday, the annual burning of the man could not occur. Instead, attendees can expect to the burn to happen tonight.

Watch live: Attendees depart Burning Man festival in Nevada’s desert

20:30 , Ariana Baio

Watch live: Attendees depart Burning Man festival in Nevada’s desert

TikTok video shows ‘Burners’ enjoying the festival, despite the mud

20:00 , Ariana Baio

Elon Musk calls Burning Man ‘best art on Earth’ amid chaos that saw thousands stranded and one dead

19:30 , Ariana Baio

Elon Musk offered lofty praise to the Burning Man festival - after this year’s event descended into disaster with one person dead and thousands left stranded in the Nevada desert after intense floods.

“Burning Man is unique in the world,” Mr Musk wrote on his platform X on Sunday. “Hard to describe how incredible it is for those who have never been. Best art on Earth.”

Kelly Rissman reports:

Is it ok to laugh at Burning Man memes?

19:00 , Ariana Baio

Burning Man festival is the talk of the internet, with horrendous weather making the Nevada desert festival one of the biggest stories in the news agenda and one of the best meme trend of 2023 – but should it be?

Harry Fletcher from Indy100 reports:

Is it ok to laugh at Burning Man memes?

Burning Man officials ask attendees to consider leaving tomorrow

18:30 , Ariana Baio

In an update posted on Burning Man’s official website, organisers asked attendees to consider leaving the area on Tuesday 5 September to help alive the large amount of congestion expected to occur when they are cleared to leave today.

“Consider delaying your departure from Black Rock City until Tuesday 9/5. This will alleviate large amounts of congestion throughout the day today, Monday 9/4. “

Though it is not for certain that “Burners” will be allowed to leave on Monday, the area is beginning to dry up thanks to sunny conditions.

What we know about the death investigation

18:00 , Ariana Baio

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a death at Burning Man to KNSD-TV on Saturday but offered few details. The identity of the person and the cause and manner of death have not been released.

The death occurred during the extreme rain that swept over the desert on Friday and Saturday but was not caused due to the rain.

The Independent has reached out to the law enforcement agency.

Burning Man disaster timeline

17:30 , Ariana Baio

21 August - Tropical Storm Hilary strikes

The omens for a sodden festival began days before gates officially opened, when Tropical Storm Hilary slammed into California causing widespread flooding and damage. The unseasonal storm left the festival site in the Black Rock Desert covered in water, with the arid landscape unable to absorb the heavy rainwater.

Organisers warned the thousands of attendees who turn up early to construct the desert encampment for “build week” that gates would remain closed until 23 August.

23 August - Delayed set up begins

Gates officially open to festival workers, allowing artists access to the five mile squared Black Rock City site to build this year’s centerpiece, the Temple of the Heart structure.

27 August - Gates open, with major logjam

Gates officially open, and the majority of the tens of thousands of revellers begin to arrive.

The average wait time at the gate is around two hours, according to festival organisers.

1 September - Months of rain fail in a single day

The festival site is hit with 0.8 inches of rain in a space of 24 hours over the evening of 1 September and into the next day, the inclement weather a result of the long tail of Tropical Storm Hilary. This amounts to 2-3 months worth of rain.

2 September - Revellers look to escape

Some hardy festival goers opt to take matters into their own hands and walk for miles through the mud to nearby pickup points.

Among them are comedian Chris Rock and DJ Diplo, who posted a video to his Instagram account after they were given a lift by a passing truck.

3 September - Thousands left trapped

In a 9am update, Burning Man organisers say roads remain closed due to the mud and an “uncertain weather front” is approaching Black Rock City.

Grounds remain too wet for most vehicles to leave

17:00 , Ariana Baio

Monday morning, officials with Burning Man said the grounds remained too muddy and wet for most attendees to leave, thought they would begin an exodus around 12pm PT.

“Gate Road remains too wet & muddy for most vehicles to safely navigate out of BRC this morning, but is drying. Exodus likely to begin around noon today, Monday 9/4,” an X account associated with Burning Man wrote.

Fairy Shrimp found on Burning Man grounds after rainstorm

16:30 , Ariana Baio

A well-known “three-eyed” insect has been spotted on the freshly rained-upon grounds where Burning Man is hosted every year.

The creature, which is translucent in colour, is nicknamed “fairy shrimp”, and some Burning Man attendees have been found at the bottom of dried-out lake beds that can survive in drought-like conditions for years.

The strange-looking insects can return to the surface of the dried ground after a rainstorm, which is exactly what happened this past weekend at Burning Man in the Las Vegas desert.

On social media, Burning Man attendees who are being forced to remain in place until conditions are safe to drive in have discovered the “fairy shrimp” which are descendants of the triops cancriformis,.

Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Burning Man disaster was an ‘act of God’

16:00 , Ariana Baio

Marjorie Taylor Greene has claimed that Burning Man revellers are being “brainwashed” into believing the washout has been caused by the climate crisis – which she claims was an act of God.

The Republican congresswoman and notorious conspiracy theorist joined fellow conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on his Info Wars show on Sunday night, where they both launched into their beliefs about the festival in the Nevada desert.

“There’s 73 to 75,000 in the Nevada desert right now at this Burning Man. They’re locked in,” the far-right lawmaker said.

Rachel Sharp reports:

Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Burning Man disaster was an ‘act of God’

President Biden briefed on Burning Man situation

15:30 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation at Burning Man, according to a White House pool report.

“Administration officials are monitoring the situation are in touch with state and local officials. Event attendees should listen to state and local officials and event organizers,” the pool report says.

In photos: Grounds at Burning Man after heavy rains

15:00 , Ariana Baio

Weather expected to be sunny today

14:30 , Ariana Baio

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the weather near the Black Rock Desert is expected to be sunny with a high of 75°F making for better conditions for attendees to leave.

Burning Man attendees prepare to be able to leave flooded site

13:40 , Rachel Sharp

Burning Man attendees are preparing to be able to leave the flooded site after thousands were stranded there over the weekend.

Event organisers said in an update on Sunday night that the “Exodus” is expected to resume on Monday morning.

“We will be opening for Exodus on Monday morning 9/4. We will inform the community as soon as we make the decision by 9am,” the statement read.

WATCH: Burning Man revellers build mud sculptures and wade through dirt as thousands stranded after floods

12:40 , Rachel Sharp

Burning Man revellers build mud sculptures as thousands stranded after floods

Conspiracy theories: Officials dismiss misinformation about Ebola spread at Burning Man

12:20 , Andrea Blanco

A screenshot of a text message exchange triggered a flood of misinformation on social media regarding a supposed Ebola outbreak at Burning Man.

The conspiracies escalated when people on X, formerly Twitter, shared doctored headlines from Forbes and fake tweets from Burning Man organizers and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Experts and physicians emphasized how unlikely an Ebola outbreak would be.

In a statement to Indy100, a Bureau of Land Management spokesperson debunked speculation about an Ebola outbreak.

“I can confirm the event entrance was closed for the year because unusual rainfall caused muddy conditions where there was a full stop on vehicles, and not for an ebola outbreak,” the spokesperson said.

Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal recounts ‘harrowing’ escape from Burning Man

11:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

“It was an incredibly harrowing 6 mile hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man,” Former US Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal tweeted on Sunday.

Authorities have advised people stranded at the festival not to leave the desert due to damage to the surface of the playa caused by vehicles.

What we know about 2023 Burning Man festival chaos

10:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Burning Man is already a test of “radical self-sufficiency” for festival goers but the 2023 event brought more hurdles than most would have imagined.

More than 70,000 “Burners” at the site have been urged to hunker down and conserve supplies amid mud slicks and unserviced toilets.

On Sunday, police announced an investigation into an unspecified death at the festival but did not disclose the name of the deceased or whether foul play was suspected.

Andrea Blanco has more.

What we know about 2023 Burning Man’s flooding chaos

Burning Man organisers reveal details about man’s death

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

Burning Man organisers have revealed new details about the death of a man during the festival’s washout.

Officials revealed on Saturday that one person had died at the festival in the Nevada desert as around 70,000 attendees were trapped on the site in the midst of an unexpected storm.

Details about the death were largely unclear.

On Sunday, Burning Man Communications said in a statement that the death was “unrelated to the weather”.

The organisation said that a man, who is believed to be around 40 years old, was found on the playa on Friday.

Emergency responders tried to resuscitate him but he passed away.

The identity of the man has not been released but their next of kin have been notified.

No further details are knwon at this time.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the death.

Thousands stranded at Burning Man Festival

09:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Has there been an Ebola outbreak at the festival?

08:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Burning Man festival has been shrouded in misinformation that the gathering is housing an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, rather than dealing with flooding.

However, in a statement to indy100, the Bureau of Land Management’s (which oversees the Black Rock Desert site) public information officer for Burning Man said: “I can confirm the event entrance was closed for the year because unusual rainfall caused muddy conditions where there was a full stop on vehicles, and not for an Ebola outbreak.

“We have heard no information of any participants with Ebola.”

More here.

Fact check: No, there's not an Ebola outbreak at Burning Man

Thousands stranded in muddy Black Rock City

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

Video posted by attendees on TikTok showed people wearing trash bags up to their knees to walk in the mud.

“All the activities were shut down, we slept with no house music bumping, everything stopped,” TikTok user Angie Peacock said.

“They shut the water down, I’m walking around helping pull power cables out of the ground so they don’t get stuck in the mud.

Other attendees fully embraced the mud and even covered their bodies with it.

“This is the ultimate filter of beauty,” Dub Kitty told The Reno Gazette-Journal. “We’re trying to find my camp and magic along the way.”

Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal recalls experience at Burning Man

07:35 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

“It was an incredibly harrowing 6miles hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man,” Former US Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal tweeted on Sunday.

Authorities have advised people stranded at the festival not to leave the desert due to damage to the surface of the playa caused by vehicles.

Spirits high at Burning Man festival despite rain chaos

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The rain, the mud and the sea of dirt have failed to dampen the spirit of some of the revelers at the Burning Man festival, which was washed away due to weather conditions.

Videos posted to social media showed costumed revelers- including a few children - sliding through the sticky mess, most of them covered from head to toe in wet earth.

"When you get pushed to extremes, that's when the most fun happens," Brian Fraoli, a 45-year-old veteran "burner" told Reuters.

Mr Fraoli said he had tried to drag his luggage through the mud and escape, but gave up and decided to relax and enjoy the experience. "Overall it was an amazing week and next time we will be more prepared," he said.

The event is remote on the best of days and emphasizes "radical self-reliance" — meaning most people bring in their own food, water and other supplies.

Those who remained Sunday described a resilient community making the most of the mucky conditions.

"Everyone here seems in really good spirits," said Paul Reder, who has been going to the event for 22 years, adding that people were sharing food and water. "There's a general sense that this is going to end soon, the gates will open and we'll all be on our way home."

"We have not witnessed any negativity, any rough times," organiser Theresa Galeani told Associated Press.

"Some people were supposed to leave a few days ago, so they're out of water or food. But I am an organiser, so I went around and found more water and food.

"There is more than enough here for people. We just have to get it to everyone."

Vehicles sent for stranded Burning Man attendees on main roads

07:00 , Andrea Blanco

Thousands of revellers are having issues communicating with concerned family members on Sunday.

Cell service is limited and access to the area was restricted.

Organizers said on Sunday that mobile cell trailers and public Wi-Fi sites were being placed across the Black Rock desert, CNN reports.

In addition, buses were sent to nearby areas where desperate festivalgoers may have walked while trying to make it out of Burning Man.

What we know about 2023 Burning Man festival’s flooding chaos

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Burning Man is already a test of “radical self-sufficiency” for festival goers but the 2023 event brought more hurdles than most would have imagined.

The start of the counter-culture festival was delayed by a rare hurricane on the west coast.

Then climate activists blocked the only road leading to the site in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert before being rammed by a tribal park ranger in his patrol truck.

Andrea Blanco reports.

What we know about 2023 Burning Man’s flooding chaos

Biden briefed on Burning Man chaos

04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

US president Joe Biden has been briefed about more than 70,000 people being stranded at the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, following a downpour on Sunday that turned the place into a sea of sticky mud.

The White House said in a statement said administration officials are monitoring the situation and are in touch with state and local officials.

One dead at Burning Man festival as thousands stranded in desert after heavy floods

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Authorities are investigating a death at the site of the Burning Man festival in Nevada where thousands of attendees remain stranded after flooding from storms swept through the desert.

Organisers closed vehicle access to the festival on Saturday and revellers were left to trudge through mud, many barefoot or wearing plastic bags on their feet, after being urged to shelter in place and conserve food, water and other supplies.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said the death happened during the event but offered few details, including the person’s identity or the suspected cause of death.

The Independent’s Eleanor Noyce reports:

One dead at Burning Man festival as thousands stranded in desert

‘Hunker down until weather improves,’ organizers ask

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

Attendees of Burning Man festival have been urged to shelter in place due to heavy downpours in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

More than 73,000 stranded “burners” have been told to remain at their campsites as a slow-moving rainstorm fell on the usually dry desert.

Organizers asked attendees to preserve food and water, and driving and biking was temporarily banned on the muddy roads.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating a death at the festival.

“As this death is still under investigation, there is no further information available at this time,” the agency said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office urged burners to shelter in place, noting that some people had managed to drive off the playa but had caused damage to its surface.

Death investigation underway, portable toilets nightmare

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a death at Burning Man to KNSD-TV on Saturday but offered few details. The identity of the person and the cause and manner of death have not been released.

The Independent has reached out to the law enforcement agency.

Meanwhile, weather conditions prevented cleaning staff from emptying thousands of portable toilets, according to The Guardian. No driving is allowed except for emergency vehicles.

Chris Rock shared a picture on Instagram of the muddy roads and a line of portable restrooms that had reportedly not been emptied.

“Also, from what I understand, because of the flooding, the port-a-potties reportedly can’t be emptied,” Mr Rock wrote. “And because the gates are closed, people can’t get in to fill generators or deliver supplies.”

While many shared their frustrations on social media, others kept a festive attitude and continued dancing and drinking. Burner Mike Jed told the Associated Press that he and others had made a bucket toilet so they didn’t have to trudge as often through the mud to reach portable toilets.

“If it really turns into a disaster, well, no one is going to have sympathy for us,” Mr Jed told the AP. “I mean, it’s Burning Man.”

Organizers said they didn’t know when the roads would “be dry enough for RVs or vehicles to navigate safely”.

If weather conditions improve, vehicles could potentially depart by late Monday.

Stranded Burning Man attendee insists they’re ‘keeping the party going’

Festivalgoers are walking out of Burning Man themselves

Sunday 3 September 2023 23:00 , Andrea Blanco

Many burners desperate to go back home after a chaotic weekend at Burning Man decided to make their way to the main road on foot, after officials restricted driving on the muddy and treacherous roads.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said some people had managed to drive off the playa but advised against doing so due to damage caused to the playa’s surface.

“Some people are walking out,” Sgt. Nathan Carmichael told CNN. “Whatever resources are out there, they will use and share with each other.”

Mobile cell trailers have been sent to Black Rock desert

Sunday 3 September 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

Thousands of revellers are having issues communicating with concerned family members on Sunday.

Cell service is limited and access to the area was restricted.

Organizers said on Sunday that mobile cell trailers and public Wi-Fi sites were being placed across the Black Rock desert, CNN reports.

In addition, buses were sent to nearby areas where desperate festivalgoers may have walked while trying to make it out of Burning Man.

Burning Man is a test of ‘radical self-reliance'

Sunday 3 September 2023 21:30 , Andrea Blanco

The festival is a “temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance”, according to its website.

The six-day event in the Black Rock Desert ends with the torching of a 40-foot effigy of “the man” before Labor Day.

This year the festival was delayed due to flooding caused by Hurricane Hilary. The event has been held since 1986, when co-founders Larry Harvey and Jerry James first burned an improvised wooden figure at Baker Beach during the Summer Solstice.

In 1988, Harvey named the statue “burning man” and began promoting the event to people outside of his circle by handing out flyers and creating t-shirts, according to the Burning Man website.

By 1997, more than 10,000 attended the event and the number only continued growing over the years.

Burning Man did not take place during 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, more than 70,000 showed up to the event.

This year, the festival kicked off on 27 August and is set to end on Monday.

A satellite image of the 2023 Burning Man festival

Stranded burners share their frustration on social media

Sunday 3 September 2023 19:30 , Andrea Blanco

Five deaths at Burning Man in the last 40 years: Reports

Sunday 3 September 2023 18:45 , Andrea Blanco

In 2017, Burning Man festival-goers witnessed a disturbing scene during the final day of the event when a man threw himself into the flames of the burning man. Aaron Joel Mitchell, 41, suffered fatal burns when he ran into the fire and died the following day.

His death was ruled a suicide, according to The Reno Gazette-Journal.

Meanwhile, 29-year-old Alicia Louise Cipicchio died in 2014 at Burning Man when she was hit by a party bus.

The San Francisco Gate also reports that in 2003, Katherine Lampman died when she fell from an “art car” and was run over.

Before that, Michael Furey, a friend of Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey, was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1996.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

Former US Principal Deputy Solicitor General manages to leave Burning man

Sunday 3 September 2023 17:15 , Andrea Blanco

“It was an incredibly harrowing 6 mile hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man,” Neal Katyal tweeted on Sunday.

Authorities have advised people stranded at the festival not to leave the desert due to damage to the surface of the playa caused by vehicles.

WATCH: Chris Rock and Diplo saved from Burning Man by fan in pickup truck

Sunday 3 September 2023 16:50 , Andrea Blanco

Where is Burning Man held?

Sunday 3 September 2023 16:00 , Andrea Blanco

The popular counter-culture festival is held in northern Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

There is only one road leading to the land where the festival is held.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency which oversees the area where Burning Man is held, said in a statement to The Reno Gazette-Journal that entry will remain closed for the rest of the festival. Burners waiting to get in were told to go home.

“Officials from BLM and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office have closed ingress to the Burning Man event effective immediately and for the remainder of the event. Participants inbound for the event should turn around and head home,” the statement read.

“Rain over the last 24 hours has created a situation that required a full stop of vehicle movement on the playa. More rain is expected over the next few days and conditions are not expected to improve enough to allow vehicles to enter the playa.”

What is Burning Man?

Sunday 3 September 2023 15:47 , Andrea Blanco

According to its website, the festival is a “temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance.”

The six-day event in the Black Rock Desert was set to close with the torching of a 40-foot effigy the Saturday before Labor Day.

However, this year the popular was delayed due to flooding caused by Hurricane Hilary.

The event kicked off on 27 August and was set to end on Monday. En-route festival goers have now been told to return home as thousands remain stranded in the desert.

The counter-culture festival celebrates radical self-reliance and has been held since 1986.

The Bureau of Land Management capped the festival’s attendance in 2019 at 80,000 because of concerns about excess trash being left behind and safety issues, according to NPR.

The festival also contributed 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide that same year, The Guardian reported.

Wild misinformation runs amok on social media of Ebola outbreak at Burning Man

Sunday 3 September 2023 15:40 , Andrea Blanco

A screenshot of a text exchange triggered a snowball of misinformation regarding a supposed Ebola outbreak at Burning Man.

Tweets have seen users share doctored headlines from Forbes and fake tweets from Burning Man and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is no indication of an Ebola outbreak at Burning Man.

An anonymous Los Angeles physician told Insider that an Ebola outbreak is unlikely, and that the bad weather means attendees are more likely to be at risk of hypothermia. The report is similar to comments made by attendee Karole Holland-Hagino, who told the Los Angeles Times that there was no truth “at all” to the social media rumours about a virus and that everyone was “healthy and happy”.

Indy100’s Liam O’Dell debunks all the conspiracies about the situation at Burning Man:

What is Burning Man and does it really have an Ebola outbreak?

Authorities ask festival goers to shelter in place

Sunday 3 September 2023 14:30 , Andrea Blanco

Attendees of Burning Man festival have been urged to shelter in place due to heavy downpours in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

More than 73,000 stranded “burners” have been told to remain at their campsites as a slow-moving rainstorm fell on the usually dry desert. Up to 1 inch of rain fell in the area on Friday, Fox Forecast Center reported.

Organizers asked attendees to preserve food and water, and driving and biking was temporarily banned on the muddy roads.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating a death at the festival.

“As this death is still under investigation, there is no further information available at this time,” the agency said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office urged burners to shelter in place, noting that some people had managed to drive off the playa but had caused damage to its surface.