Burning Man Was Interrupted By Heavy Rains And Mud — And These 24 Photos Show The Reality Of What's Happening
1. This week, an estimated 73,000 people descended upon Black Rock City, Nevada, to attend Burning Man — a countercultural event that encourages communal living, self-reliance, and art.
2. It was scheduled to run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4, but the events have been derailed by heavy rains in the area.
3. The National Weather Service suggested in a report that 0.8 inches of rain fell between Friday afternoon when it started and Saturday morning, per CNN.
@itsmechelsealeigh / Via tiktok.com
4. That's an estimated two to three months' worth of rain for Black Rock during this time of year.
I was at Burning Man but left yesterday before the rain. Hope everyone there is staying safe and having some beers! pic.twitter.com/oJMgy3cPeX
— Leah Culver (@leahculver) September 3, 2023
@leahculver / Twitter: @leahculver
5. Now, the desert floor is usually rock-solid:
6. But all the rain caused it to turn into a sloppy, muddy mess.
In case anyone was wondering how burning man is going it rained all day and now everything looks like this lol pic.twitter.com/ALhF63PWTC
— Sol (@sol_flac) September 2, 2023
7. Moving through it was practically impossible.
@paulanrodrigues / Via tiktok.com
8. Leading organizers to cut off all travel to and from the site for non-emergency vehicles.
@ivoryringlord / Via tiktok.com
9. They also told attendees to shelter in place and "conserve food, water, and fuel."
10. Some tried to wait it out...
@nadia_abraham / Via tiktok.com
11. ...hunkering down in their tents...
What's tent camping like at Burning Man right now after the heavy rains? Have a look! ??#BurningMan2023 #burningman #BurningManFestival pic.twitter.com/hnIZgONT1D
— ?? Tess T. Eccles-Brown, PhD (@TTEcclesBrown) September 3, 2023
12. ...and using Porta Potties that had overflowed.
28-second trip to the porta potty at Burning Man pic.twitter.com/Q5Z9J3gvR9
— Mark Trail? Rains on ?? ng Man (@AngryMarkTrail) September 3, 2023
13. Others decided to walk out.
14. They hoped to get to a main road for transport, but many struggled to get through the sticky, ankle-high mud.
One woman told CNN that people went barefoot or used bags around their feet to get through the mud.
15. Two people described the trek as "harrowing" and "pure hell."
It was an incredibly harrowing 6 mile hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man. Never been before and it was fantastic (with brilliant art and fabulous music)…except the ending. pic.twitter.com/jhxsOfNp5y
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) September 3, 2023
16. "Each step felt like we were walking with two big cinderblocks on our feet," one man told CNN.
@burningmanfashion / Via tiktok.com
17. Sailing Doodles star Bobby White added: "Every time you step, you pick up more mud, and it's just really hard to move. There is absolutely no way you could move a vehicle through this right now."
18. Diplo and Chris Rock were among those who left the site by walking out. The DJ said he spent "hours" trying to catch a ride before a fan picked him and Chris up in their truck.
19. Back at camp, authorities said they were working to improve cell service and provide buses for those left stranded.
Burning Man update.It is getting better. Look at the sky.?????? pic.twitter.com/4nNkQjqFAj
— ?????? (@MilaRoyaleReal) September 3, 2023
20. Some people partied while they waited.
21. But please follow safety precautions.
I walked for 2 miles in the mud to escape from Burning Man and survived, AMA ????? pic.twitter.com/MGKM6U2X2Q
— valerie ??? (@itsvalerielee) September 3, 2023
22. It was reported that one person died over the weekend.
WATCH ?? One dead and thousands stuck amid heavy rain and mud at Burning Man festival in Nevada pic.twitter.com/JTC9Zn5L0g
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 3, 2023
Though the circumstances of their death are unclear.
23. CNN also reports that more rain is expected Sunday afternoon.
The weather service reportedly said, “Stronger storms will be capable of very heavy rainfall, small hail, and wind gusts to 40+ mph."
24. Sunshine is expected to return tomorrow.
Heavy rain and mud forced entrance and exit gates to close down at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. https://t.co/hOIcKrhul1 pic.twitter.com/jSPCAdNKbr
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 3, 2023
@usatoday / Twitter: @USATODAY
