Ailing Burning Man festival faces fresh nightmare as 50MPH DUST STORM trashes art and camp sites

Daily Mail UK ^ | August 25, 2025 | Laura Parnaby

[Morgana]

Burning Man is being torn apart by sand storms just one day into the iconic festival, with 50mph winds tearing up tents and trashing art.

Thousands of attendees have been weathering apocalyptic scenes, with some wearing ski goggles and surgical masks to brace against the storm.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that a 'wall of blowing dust' from Smoke Creek and Black Rock Desert would move over the site on Saturday and Sunday.

Campsites which were erected on the eve of the celebration were damaged by the dust storm as it tore through the Nevada desert before the festival even began.

The NWS advised attendees - known as 'Burners' - not to travel to the area, and to expect sudden reductions in visibility if they were there already.

Dramatic videos posted online showed festival-goers being battered by fierce winds as their belongings were coated in a thick film of dust.

Several structures could be seen already destroyed, with some gazebos being reduced to metal tent frames after fierce winds stripped away the tarp.

One man posted a selfie showing his face covered in dust, and images circulated of men wearing cargo pants huddled in a van while waiting for the storm to pass.

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TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: burningman; california; coachella; happenseverytime; indio; nevada; stupidfestival

[ridesthemiles]

COULDN’T PAY ME $1 MILLION TO GO THERE.

LOVED THE WAY THE PAIUTE TRIBAL POLICE HANDLED A GROUP LAST YEAR THAT BLOCKED THE ONLY HIGHWAY IN/OUT.

[ridesthemiles]

TOW TRUCKS FOR THOSE FANCY VEHICLES COST ALOT——

[wardaddy]

Indeed
Stifling hot
Don’t know how the women handled it

[liberalh8ter]

It's interesting, though, that Burning Man gate receipts are in the tens of millions of dollars each year. I wonder where it all goes.

Considering 1 person and their vehicle cost $800, I'm not surprised they make that much. The Burning Man Board purchased Fly Ranch and Fly Geyser and are supposed to be using it for Burning Man in the future but even by their own admission, that's a “long term goal”. Probably won't happen in my lifetime but for the time being, access to Fly Ranch and geyser is non-existent. I've never been to Burning Man and never will but I do have some friends that have gone. Once was enough for them, LOL.

[Nervous Tick]

>> LOVED THE WAY THE PAIUTE TRIBAL POLICE HANDLED A GROUP LAST YEAR THAT BLOCKED THE ONLY HIGHWAY IN/OUT.

Yeah, that video was a lot of fun! I’ll see if I can find it.

[Jeff Vader]

that’s a pretty impressive line up.
1st big show I went to was in 1980, I was 17 and it was at Bingley Hall in Staffs, England and a 2 hour train ride from where I lived. It was a day long metal fest that started early after noon and went on for about 12 hours. Motorhead was the headlining act, but Saxon put on the best show.
Didn’t get home till about 8am the next morning

[Nervous Tick]

>> LOVED THE WAY THE PAIUTE TRIBAL POLICE HANDLED A GROUP LAST YEAR THAT BLOCKED THE ONLY HIGHWAY IN/OUT.

Here you go. 16 minutes of schadenfraude! WARNING: Language.

(Paiute) Rangers show up at about 9:30 and hilarity ensues. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8fDM60MS84&ab_channel=FREEDOMNEWSTV-NATIONAL%2FSCOOTERCASTER

[rxh4n1]

I was at the Bull Island Soda Pop festival, until Fyre came along, the worst festival in history. At least we didn’t pay like the suckers at Burning Man.

[Drew68]

Every year it's always something with those hippies.

Nah, there's no hippies at Burning Man these days. They've been priced out of it.

Mostly tech bros and Instagram influencers.

[wardaddy]

Burning runs 350-4k

Bonnaroo vip is high too I hear

I know people go to that one

I like small indoor stuff

We saw Roger McGuinn Franklin theatre last year

A solo narrative show of his chronology

It was great

He even addressed my wife when she jumped up when he announced he’d play Jolly Roger next

An obscure song

It was funny

Id like to see Clapton final show next month here

I missed bush a few months ago amphitheater

Anyhow we went monthly to shows early 70s

[Mr. Mojo]

<< Id like to see Clapton final show next month here >>

Yeah, his peripheral neuropathy makes playing very painful. PN is a bitch.

Saw Eric only once, at Ronnie Lane’s benefit for MS (The ARMS concert) in ‘83 at the L.A. Forum. 2nd row on the floor. Prince was sitting right behind us and was craning to see.

Performers included Page, Beck, Cocker, and Wyman and Watts. Clapton’s set was the best of the bunch. He was still playing Blackie at the time.

Nice on McGuinn. I haven’t been to a concert in many years. Maybe Dr. John in Seattle at Jazz Alley in the aughts.

And the only festival I’ve ever attended was some reggaefest at Pauley Pavillion in the E’80s. Could barely see the performers through all the spliff smoke.

[wardaddy]

Yes I eschew bonnaroo like that

Rumor has it winwood will join Clapton

Of course lol