In Nevada USA, Burning Man 2023 has been ongoing in the Black Rock Desert. The week-long counterculture festival is held on Lake Lahontan, a sizable lake that dried up as a result of Pleistocene climate change, leaving playa in the northwest part of Nevada. Numerous artists, musicians, and activists attend the festival and draw tens of thousands of people. Here’s what is happening at the Burning Man festival 2023.
Burning Man Festival In Nevada, USA
Burning Man already puts attendees through a “radical self-sufficiency” exam, but the 2023 event presented more challenges than most would have anticipated. The majority of attendees are required to bring their food, drink, and supplies in a setting akin to wilderness camping with performances.
An unusual hurricane on the west coast halted the opening of the counterculture event. Climate activists then blocked the only access route to the location in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert before being struck by a patrol truck driven by a tribal park ranger.
The desert region has experienced significant rains that have caused floods. This weekend, the festival’s organisers and local officials shuttered the festival’s entrance routes and advised everyone travelling there to turn around and head home.
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Muddy Roads, No Escape And No Food!
Amid mudslides and unmaintained restrooms, the more than 70,000 “Burners” at the location have been instructed to fortify themselves and save supplies. Police said on Sunday that they were looking into an unidentified death at the festival, but they did not say who the victim was or whether they suspected foul play.
Driving and biking were momentarily prohibited on the muddy roads, and organisers urged participants to save food and drink. Up till further notice, entry and exit are suspended, the festival’s traffic account tweeted on Saturday. Further, no one else was allowed to drive except for emergency vehicles. They were advised to save their energy, water, and food and find a warm, secure place to stay.
Although it provided little specifics, the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged a death at Burning Man. The person’s name, along with the reason for and details of how they died, are still unknown.
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According to The Guardian, the weather made it difficult for cleaning crews to remove thousands of portable toilets.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons