A desert storm brought downpours to Burning Man on the sixth day of the nine-day event. Heavy rain turned the landscape into mud, making it impossible for festival goers (given the self-title of “Burners”) to navigate the campgrounds freely and operate bikes and cars. Some Burners even left behind their cars at the campgrounds, as they had no way to operate them and wanted to seek shelter elsewhere. During heavy rainfall, Burners on public transport buses were even kept on vehicles for an extended time as they were too far from locations to leave the vehicles and walk.
The campgrounds of less prepared attendees were eventually flooded, resulting in some people sleeping in or surrounded by water and mud. Since vehicles could not navigate the terrain, sanitation trucks could not service the campgrounds. Some Burners then converted tents at their disposal into outhouses and utilized other rustic sanitation methods. General reports from Burners varied regarding how much individuals were genuinely affected. In most accountings, festival goers who networked with others and/or had a surplus of equipment and food supplies were relatively unburdened.
Burning Man 2023 did, however, leave behind more than average amounts of waste, given the extreme weather. Reportedly, after the mud was resolidified, it was a simple process of moving the remains of the festival. Cars left behind at the campground were returned to owners or moved off the property. The clean-up team is tasked with conducting a line sweep of the entire 3,600-acre area, with the mission of leaving zero trace. The Burning Man festival has seen its share of harsh weather conditions; the 2022 festival was particularly dry and hot, which created dust storms. Future Burners can now add floods and heavy rainfall to the list of conditions to prepare themselves for.
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