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Burning Man Open Thread [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-09-04

I attended Burning Man seven times,1999 to 2006 The Black Rock desert is always an arduous place to camp. The worst weather I encountered there were some dust storms kicked up by high winds. The last two years I went were bad years for dust storms, with people’s camps being knocked flat by the high winds. At the time I realized that any sizeable rain storms would cause massive problems for the burners. It was just a matter of time before that would happen eventually. I’d seen how even some moderate rain could cause the fine particles of the “Playa” to clump up on your shoes, but in those instances the “Playa” dried out before long. I camped in a tent six of those seven years. The photographic opportunities at Burning Man were unique, and surreal. That was one of the main things that kept me coming back.

But the rain on Friday and Saturday was more than moderate, with heavy rains creating far more serious impacts.

x These are the people who tried to leave early when told to shelter in place. Tow companies have been ordered to get to them LAST , maybe Friday. Glad I waited it out. #BurningMan pic.twitter.com/GydfV9128I — Gene Miller (@genermiller) September 4, 2023

Burning Man officials also said they are utilizing all of their four-wheel drive vehicles and ATVs to determine road conditions, in addition to stationing them near ranger stations to help transport “medical and other urgent situations” to the blacktop. “This does NOT mean we are releasing all vehicles,” Burning Man officials said. “We have found that ONLY 4WD vehicles with all-terrain tires are currently able to move. Anything less than that will get stuck. It will hamper Exodus if we have cars stuck on roads in our camping areas, or on the Gate Road out of the city. PLEASE don’t be that person.” Instead, festival attendees are encouraged to take shelter “in a warm, safe place,” introduce themselves to their neighbors and conserve food, water and fuel, sharing extra when possible. People who need to walk around are advised to cover their shoes with a pair of socks to prevent mud from sticking; Black Rock Rangers, a group of civilian public safety volunteers, are making their way through the playa to provide assistance where necessary.

x Lot of stuck vehicles trapped by mud about a mile out attempting to exit from Burning Man. I just walked by about 30 various RVs and cars that can’t move.#BurningManFestival #Burningman #BurningMan2023 pic.twitter.com/7qAH7HDmG2 — moonbitly (@moonbitly) September 4, 2023

From wood blocks to ‘poop buckets,’ how Burning Man organizers told festivalgoers to prepare for heavy rain By Zoe Sottile, The yearly celebration takes place in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, a remote and isolated area where the roads become unreliable in difficult weather conditions. The closest settlement is Gerlach, a town of just over 100 people; Reno, the nearest city, is 93 miles away. “The Black Rock Desert is a huge, flat, prehistoric lakebed, composed of a hardpan alkali, ringed by majestic mountains,” says Burning Man on its website. “Daytime temperatures routinely exceed 100°F, with extremely low humidity.”

Burning Man advises attendees that “ultimately the responsibility for your personal health and safety falls to you,” part of the event’s “spirit of radical self-reliance.” While the festival provides “essential safety infrastructure” including porta potties, ice for sale and on-site first responders, amenities are few and far between. Revelers are typically reliant on the gear they’ve brought themselves. Facilities for handwashing and showering are the responsibility of individual camps. The festival suggests a long list of gear for each attendee, including food and beverages, an “extensive” first aid kit, warm clothing and fire extinguishers. Additionally, “Burners,” what the event dubs attendees, should bring a “poop bucket,” especially in case rain makes porta potties inoperable. The website recommends a 5-gallon utility bucket with a lid and garbage bag liners. And the list goes on: Attendees are urged to bring a portable shower, waterproof protective bags for any electronic gear, a battery- or solar-powered radio and warm clothing since temperatures can drop by as much as 50 degrees when the sun goes down.

x Massive Rainstorm Strands Thousands at Burning Man Festival#burningman pic.twitter.com/LBvLji0qm9 — Aldrich (@observer888888) September 4, 2023

x Burning Man has a, “We probably shouldn’t have sent the Steam Punk Ravers to Mars, to set up our base camp” vibe to it. 🤪#Burningman #BurningMan2023 pic.twitter.com/dP6BppsCPl — moonbitly (@moonbitly) September 4, 2023

x “Elective luxury suffering” is the best description of #BurningMan I’ve ever heard. pic.twitter.com/cCWLx9SGC0 — MandaLorian 🐼🌎🔭🏳️‍🌈 (@PaleBlueMomma) September 4, 2023

Just walking is difficult.

x Enormous mud clung to the shoe of this person at the Burning Man; this spoiled the party of more than 70000 attendees.#BurningMan #BurningMan2023 #burningmanebola #BurningManFestival #BURNINGMUD pic.twitter.com/zsCqPv2Ekm — CBKNEWS (@CBKNEWS121) September 4, 2023

Of course Marginal Traitor Green had some nasty smears for the 73,000 people who attended Burning Man. She is afraid that this will be blamed on Climate Change. MTG is a voice for her big donors in the oil and gas sectors.

x #BREAKING 🚨🚨Marjorie Taylor Greene. Says 75,0000 Burning Man revelers were trapped in the mud to brainwash them into thinking climate change is real, and then they will spread the word when they get out..



Follow @CBKNEWS121 FOR MORE UPDATES #BurningManFestival #Burningman… pic.twitter.com/Od6IkIzlGX — CBKNEWS (@CBKNEWS121) September 4, 2023

x "These sorts of heavy summer rainfall events in the region are expected, as the well-known southwestern summer monsoon is expected to yield larger amounts of rainfall in a warming climate," says @MichaelEMann. https://t.co/z9oK4eSrqU #ClimateEmergency #BurningMan — Francisco Taveira (@jftaveira1993) September 4, 2023

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/4/2191470/-Burning-Man-Open-Thread

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