CNN –
Thousands of Burning Man-goers finally made their mass exodus after heavy rains over the weekend flooded campsites and filled them with thick, ankle-deep mud – stranding more than 70,000 free-spirited revelers as they waited for the Nevada desert city to dry out.
Organizers officially announced that the driving ban, imposed on Friday due to heavy rain, was lifted on Monday afternoon and participants were able to safely leave Black Rock City, the makeshift city set up for the event every year.
The area was still muddy and parts were still difficult to navigate, organizers warned, adding to the wait to leave the city on Monday evening lasted about seven hours. But that’s not unusual: According to a Burning Man website, in past years the journey has taken six to nine hours during peak travel times.
By Tuesday morning the situation had improved significantly:
“It is estimated that there will be a two to three hour wait to leave Black Rock City,” festival organizers say Posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Everyone should get enough rest before starting to drive on the highway. Expect delays and be aware of debris from other vehicles on the highway at higher speeds. Travel safely.”
For many participants, being stuck in the desert and missing flights and other commitments was stressful and upsetting. But some said the weather challenges brought camp communities closer together as people shared food and resources, provided shelter to those who needed it and came together.
“As soon as the tents became soaked or uninhabitable, people in RVs started picking up some of the tents so everyone was warm,” Kaz Qamruddin, who attended the event, told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday.
“We are a community that comes together in difficult times,” he said, later adding, “It’s about coming together and working as a team.”
Diplo, Cindy Crawford and other celebrities navigate the muddy desert
By the time authorities lifted their travel ban, thousands of people had already left, some on foot while others tried their luck in vehicles.
Among the early departures was music DJ Diplo, who told CNN that he ran several miles through the muddy desert on Saturday morning along with other celebrities including Chris Rock, Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler. When they reached the paved road, a fan offered them a ride in the back of a truck.
According to the organizers, of the 72,000 people who were still there late Sunday evening, around 64,000 stayed on Monday afternoon.
Many stayed, following officials’ recommendations and waiting for the climax of the event: the burning of the man.
A day later than planned, the massive wooden portrait “The Man” was set on fire on Monday evening.
After the first rains drenched campgrounds on Friday, event leaders said alarmed Participants explained that driving was no longer allowed in the city. They stopped entry and exit into the area and urged people to “Shelter in place,” and save food and water.
The remote area of northwestern Nevada was hit by up to 0.8 inches – about twice the average September rainfall – in just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning. And more rain followed on Sunday.
“A fairly wet start to September for much of eastern California and western Nevada,” according to the National Weather Service in Reno wrote on X. “The heaviest rain fell in far eastern Churchill and Pershing counties, with a total of nearly 2.5 inches!”
Burning Man takes place in Pershing County.
The reason rain can have such an impact in an area like Black Rock City lies in the soil: the clay of the desert cannot absorb water as quickly as clay or more fertile soils.
“That water mixes with that clay and it creates this cementitious, muddy mixture that people inevitably get stuck in,” said CNN weather anchor Derek Van Dam.
Because of this, although some four-wheel drive vehicles successfully set off over the weekend, many others remained stuck on the muddy roads, worsening delays for others trying to leave.
Festival organizers sent updates every few hours throughout the weekend, continuing to urge attendees to stay put, stressing the need to keep roads clear and sharing weather forecasts. Finally, on Monday at 2 p.m., “the driving ban was lifted,” it said An entry.