Posted on 08/24/2025 8:20:42 PM PDT by algore
A fierce dust storm hit the Black Rock Desert on the eve of its annual Burning Man festival, damaging campsites that had been set up early, participants reported.
Winds of up to 50 mph stirred up the lakebed's alkaline dust so fiercely that participants in the annual art and culture festival reported not being able to see beyond a foot. Still, gates to the festival had opened by Sunday morning, with organizers cautioning new arrivals to "drive safely!"
The dust storm arrived Saturday evening after strong thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada drifted off the mountains and whipped up strong winds in the Nevada desert. The National Weather Service had previously warned of strong thunderstorms and potential flooding in Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe and surrounding areas Saturday afternoon. As the storms moved toward the desert, rain became less frequent while the wind and lightning remained.
At 5:14 p.m. Saturday, the weather service issued a dust storm advisory for Black Rock City and warned of "a wall of blowing dust coming off the Smoke Creek and Black Rock Desert playa areas is tracking northward at around 30 mph."
The agency warned of visibility less than 1 mile and wind gusts exceeding 45 mph.
A weather station at Black Rock City Airport measured gusts up to 52 mph at 5:50 p.m.
"Every popup canopy I've seen has been destroyed," one Burner wrote on Reddit.
A Burning Man spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I am not burning to put Burning Man on my bucket list.
I kind of had the same thought…
I think it was the pigs who drowned.
well Jesus doesn’t have to cast them anywhere, they just can drown.
The Wicker Man. 1973 English horror movie. Residents of a remote island sacrifice a police officer who has come to investigate a disappearance. He is placed in a large wicker figure and set afire...ala burning man.
Spooky.
I just watched that today.
Oh , what fun!! /s
Crappy metal neon thing.
Used to be like the wicker man.
If you’re gonna pagan, pagan right.
Piss poor Wicker Man wannabe.
Would not go on a bet.
Yep.
Go back home with your very own demonic attachment.
What’s not to love?
😑
One of the best movies ever made.
Mid Texas had the same thing a few months ago. Bye!
LOL! Love it.
I think this is the third year in a row that extreme weather has put a dent in the “festivities”.
For a Evangelical Christian Perspective about Burning Man, this is an interesting discussion.
It’s nearly 1.5 hours, but is thought-provoking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd7ZKqWbdWU
Burning Man is a ritual gathering of those who find freedom in their alienation. I see no harm in it, have watched it on webcam sometimes, out of voyeuristic curiosity, but have no desire to go there.
anyone have an idea what state this is in? Or the nearest large city? I hate posts like this that leave you to guess where it is.
desert North of Reno, NV (more or less).
Earlybird sparkle ponies got a little sand in their knickers.
Article:
“A Burning Man spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.”
My version—”The Burning Man spokesperson is rumored to be buried under a large tent—so is unavailable for comment at this time.”
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