Burning Man festival 2023: why has Burning Man flooded, what happens when it rains - why are people stranded?

Burning Man festival has been turned into a mud bath after a torrent of rain swept through the Nevada desert.

Festival organisers closed vehicle access on Saturday (2 September) and urged festival-goers to shelter in place and conserve food, water and other supplies. Thousands of fans of the counterculture festival who had descended on Black Rock City this weekend have now been left stranded as flooding has ravaged the lake bed campsite.

Vehicle gates will be closed for the remainder of the festival, which began on 27 August and was due to finish on Monday (4 September) with news the Burning Man event was cancelled revealed on Saturday. It has also been reported that a person has died at the festival, with Sky News reporting police have confirmed a death is now under investigation.

More than half an inch of rain is believed to have fallen on Friday at the festival site, located about 110 miles north of Reno, the National Weather Service said. At least another quarter of an inch of rain is expected today, which will add to the already saturated desert ground.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Burning Man flood.

Why has Burning Man flooded?

Burning Man has flooded due to heavy rainfall in Nevada. The desert where the festival takes place is more usually known for its scorching hot temperatures, however, on Friday about six inches of rain fell at the festival site causing widespread flooding and muddy conditions you’d be more likely to see at Glastonbury.

What happens when it rains at Burning Man?

Burning Man takes place in Black Rock City, Nevada. The desert is not used to this type of heavy rainfall and the intensity has saturated the playa. The National Weather Service in Reno have said that at least another quarter of an inch of rain is expected today, which will add to the already soggy desert sand.

Festival organisers explained: “The weather forecast indicates potential rainfall overnight Saturday 9/2 into early Sunday 9/3. This adds to an already saturated playa.

They continued: “This will affect the amount of time it takes for the playa to dry. With sunlight and warmer temperatures, it will dry more quickly.”

Where is Black Rock City Nevada?

Black Rock City Nevada is a town that only exists for one week a year as the home of Burning Man festival. Located in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock desert, the nearest settled town is Gerlach, which has a modest population of just 28 residents.

Every year up to an estimated 60,000 people descend on Black Rock City for Burning Man which started off in 1986 as a small gathering on a San Francisco beach. The organisers describe Black Rock City as 'a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance' and say: 'In this crucible of creativity, all are welcome.' It is not a convention festival and has no fixed line-up.

Why are people stranded?

Festival-goers have been left stranded at Burning Man due to flooding following the heavy rainfall. The flooding has caused the desert sand to turn into mud, leaving vehicles struggling to manoeuvre the terrain.

The Reno Gazette Journal reported that organisers had started rationing ice sales and that all vehicle traffic on the festival grounds had been stopped, leaving portable toilets unable to be serviced. Organisers closed vehicle access on Saturday, leaving festival-goers unable to travel in and out of the area by car.

Officials have not yet said when the entrance is expected to be reopened again, and it was not immediately known when people will be able to leave Black Rock City.

How many people stuck at Burning Man?

There are an estimated 70,000 people currently left stranded at Burning Man.

Is there Ebola at Burning Man?

No, despite the rumours, there is not an outbreak of Ebola at the Burning Man festival. Following news that festival-goers were battling flooding and muddy conditions rumours started to circulate online about a possible Ebola outbreak.

Fake posts sharing information about a possible outbreak were shown as being shared by the CDC on X, formerly known as Twitter. There is absolutely no evidence that there is an Ebola outbreak at Burning Man.