Burning Man Closed, Festival Goers Stranded After Heavy Rains

Federal officials have taken the unprecedented step of shutting down the iconic Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, leaving over 73,000 participants stranded in the midst of a treacherous mudscape.

The Bureau of Land Management, responsible for the event's location, issued an urgent directive for attendees to "shelter in place" after relentless rains transformed the event grounds into a muddy quagmire. This unexpected turn of events has drawn comparisons to the ill-fated Fyre Festival of 2017 and has left organizers scrambling to manage the crisis.

"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," the Bureau said in a statement announcing the closure of access roads.

60,000 people stuck at burning man and it’s not looking good. There is limited food and water and toilets and showers beginning to fail. They need at least four days for it to dry out as it’s too muddy to leave. They are stuck. pic.twitter.com/BTeKOvu83o

— Erin Elizabeth Health Nut News 🙌 (@unhealthytruth) September 2, 2023

Furthermore, the forecast indicated the likelihood of more rain in the coming days, preventing any improvement in conditions for vehicle access. As a result, those en route to the festival were advised to "turn around and head home."

Burning Man getting shitted on by the weather this year is a sign of times

A degenerate filled society being washed away

Nature is healing pic.twitter.com/2qFy69nNts

— Chad Mindsworth, PhD 찌 跻 じ (@DrMindsworth) September 3, 2023

An investigation has been launched into the death of one person during torrential rains at the festival. The Pershing County Sheriff's Office said it is "currently investigating a death that occurred during this rain event," but did not provide further details.

Burning Man organizers had previously urged participants to conserve their supplies of food and water while imposing a ban on vehicle usage as attendees sought refuge in mud-soaked tents and RVs. With temperatures plummeting to the low 50s, attendees faced increasingly challenging conditions.

🚨#BREAKING: Burning Man Festival Declares National Emergency as over 73,000 Campers are trapped Urged to Shelter in Place Amid Flooding Crisis

📌#Blackrock | #Nevada

Currently, more than 73,000 festival attendees and campers are trapped with no access in or out of the… pic.twitter.com/gMxoFiFKdm

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) September 2, 2023

Complicating matters, the remnants of Hurricane Hilary brought inclement weather, leading to the closure of a small airport and the suspension of cleaning services for thousands of portable toilets. The storm also disrupted cell phone service, leaving many isolated.

The Burning Man event, which commenced on August 27th, is slated to conclude with the mass departure known as "Exodus" on Monday. The unexpected shutdown has left organizers grappling with the logistical nightmare of ensuring the safety and well-being of thousands of attendees.