“The gates and airport of Black Rock City (the name of the location, editor’s note) remain closed, all entrances and exits are delayed until further notice,” the X account (ex-Twitter) repeated since midnight from Burning in at regular intervals man. Organizers also urged participants already on site to “conserve water, food and fuel and find warm and safe shelter.”
Don’t travel to Black Rock City! Access to the city is closed for the remainder of the event and you will be turned around.
— Burning Man Traffic (@bmantraffic) September 2, 2023
Due to the heavy rains, “la playa”, a huge promenade characteristic of the event, became impassable. If the rains stop during the day, it is expected to rain again on Sunday, the last day of the festival, while temperatures are expected to drop again to around 10 degrees during the night from Saturday to Sunday, according to the organizers.
Burning Man 2023 is now declared a national emergency by the US government as over 73,000 campers are stranded and sheltering in their campsites during the event 😯
We hope everyone gets out safely 🙏🏼🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/x4BB3iqt78
– edmtrain (@edmtrainapp) September 2, 2023
Most planned activities have been suspended, including the lighting of the wooden giant in the center of “la playa,” which marks the end of the festival and gives it its name. The festival faced a severe heatwave last year with strong winds, which had already made the experience difficult for “burners,” as festival-goers are known.