Update, Sunday, September 3, at 8 p.m.: A death has been reported at the Burning Man festival in Nevada, where thousands of attendees remain trapped at campsites after an unexpected storm muddied the grounds and surrounding areas. An official statement from Burning Man Communications said that the death was “unrelated to the weather.†Per the statement, the death was that of a man approximately 40 years old. Per CNN, the Pershing County sheriff’s office confirmed that it is investigating “a death which occurred during this rain event.†Local authorities said that attempts to revive the individual after they were found on the playa were unsuccessful. The person was not publicly identified, but their family has been notified. The news comes after festivalgoers were told to shelter in place and conserve food and water, with only emergency vehicles permitted to drive. Nathan Carmichael, a sergeant with the Pershing County sheriff’s office, said on Sunday morning that “a little over 70,000 people†are still stuck on-site, with most RVs unable to move through the mud. The BMC statement says it expects to open the roads Monday morning.
Original story published September 2, 2023, follows.
Burning Man festival attendees are alerted to stay put at their campsites after an unexpected rainstorm has made the surrounding areas difficult to maneuver through, The Guardian reports. After the storm and with the aftermath of Hurricane Hilary from last month, the festival grounds have transformed into “thick and slimy†mud that makes it difficult for people to walk through. Attendees are being told to shelter in place and to conserve food and water; they are also not allowed to drive out of the festival, as only emergency vehicles are permitted to drive. “Burning man got rained out … we’re all stuck here. Let’s pray it stops raining,†wrote one festivalgoer on social media, with a video of the muddy fields. Vulture has reached out to Burning Man for comment on the storm.
This is a developing story.