Among Burning Man attendees, it becomes a faith article that outsiders seize the opportunity to suggest that the event has lost its cool.
Burning Man Dust Storm Injuries Four People
A 50 mph dust storm swept through the black rock desert, causing confusion to the burning man.
BlackRock City, Nevada – Wind Storm. Slippery mud. Large traffic jams in rural Nevada. It’s time to burn the man again.
Tens of thousands of “burners” gather in remote desert areas to celebrate art, music and personal freedoms over a week. The USA Today Network Reporter, which covers the event, has been clogged with traffic for 19 hours since August 24th, and the entryway on August 25th was seven hours.
The storm that struck the Black Rock desert on August 24th temporarily suspended entry to the event, which officially began at 12:01am that day. Gates resumed around 7am on August 25th, with the event organizers saying 40,000 people already on the scene.
Most attendees pass through Reno and then head north to the desert camp. There, they will build a temporary city with over 70,000 people before being erased in a week.
Veteran Burner Santiago Parriz said his longest was waiting to enter Burning Man this year. Even before Gates was closed to BlackRock City, the Pariz lined up for over seven hours, waiting until sunrise on August 25th.
“I never know how long it will be. It won’t take more than three hours for me,” he said.
In addition to temporarily halting entry, organizers asked people in the camp to avoid driving, but said temporary flights to the airport could resume. Burning Man participants typically include a considerable number of California-based high-tech workers, with past participants including Elon Musk and Google’s leaders.
Burning Man officials said four minor injuries have been reported as a result of wind and dust, and Livestream’s webcasts have been declining. Also, Vitaliy Deynega, founder of the Ukrainian News Outlet and Ukrainian Witness Project, Ukrainian large-scale artwork “Black Cloud” was destroyed on August 23 by a wind of 50 mph.
“The weather is expected to remain unstable and will remain unstable for another two days. Be careful of your forecasts when planning your trip to BlackRock City,” the organizers said. “Common sense and perception of changes in conditions will help you.”
This year’s burning man
The Black Rock Desert is a vast, uncharacteristic plain made up of fine alkaline dust. Early arrivals this year reported that there was no rain earlier this year, and that the dust was very loose rather than the usual hard loads. According to a social media post from attendees, the strong winds that followed on August 24th and 25th created a massive sandstorm when they tore through the shade structure and flipped at least one Portapotti.
The afternoon shower is projected in the area in the second half of August 25th, with mainly clear skies and nearly 90 degrees high, with gusts of wind up to 15 mph.
Ticket prices started at $550 this year, but participants can purchase more expensive items to subsidize other attendees. Events are usually sold out, but tickets can still be purchased this year.
On August 25, Burning Man officials said the focus is on supporting drivers who have already attended the event but have not yet reached the campsite. It takes more than eight hours for participants to travel only a few miles to a temporary city as participants pass ticket checks, security screenings and greeter stations.
“The rain and wind have stopped at the BRC,” organizers said in their morning update. “The ground is drying out and Gate Road vehicles are starting to move into town. Take your time and follow the instructions from our staff.”
The Vision and Past of the Burning Person
Burning Man was mostly in peace in 2024, but in the 2023 version, heavy rainfall in the city midway through the week, resulting in a massive mudfest. The subsequent road closures have inconvenient for small voice minorities such as DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock, but most attendees were happy to splash through the mud until the roads were exhausted.
Burning Man is guided by 10 principles, including “radical independence,” and participants are encouraged to “discover, exercise and depend on their inner resources.” The spirit of the entire event reflects that, and although there are no permitted food or products sold during the event, many camps distribute free food via public schedules. Participants will wear a variety of costumes and nude by admiring large art installations and dancing all night with mobile DJ vehicles.
The event culminates with two massive “burns” on two nights of Labor Day. Noisy fireworks are heavy 100 feet wooden man statue burning, and the fierce temple burning.
It’s not finished yet
Among Burning Man attendees, it becomes a faith article for people in the “default world” to seize the opportunity to suggest that the event is losing its cool.
However, organizers acknowledge that they are financially struggling to continue the event. This requires vast logistics and expensive federal permits from BLM.
“We are pleased that despite operating in 2024 with financial losses, our financial outlook is much stronger than it was a year ago, as a result of our hard work and participation from the community,” CEO Marian Goodell wrote in an August 13 message to community members. “Combined with charitable donations, cost reductions in mission parallels, 10% reductions and collaborations with partners to reduce costs, a financial recovery has begun ongoing this year.”
