This year’s Burning Man festival has quickly turned into a hellscape. Following storms near the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where Burning Man takes place each year, thousands of attendees were forced to shelter in place and conserve food and water. While fans are currently in distress, a prolific musician and an esteemed actor/comedian managed to make an escape.
via: Hollywood Reporter
Diplo shared on social media that he and Chris Rock made it out of Burning Man after heavy rainfall turned the festival into a muddy mess, leaving attendees unable to get in or out.
In a video posted on the DJ’s Instagram, he can be seen riding in the back of a pickup truck with the comedian and others. “A fan offered Chris Rock and I a ride out of Burning Man in the back of a pick up,” he also wrote in the video. “After walking 6 miles through the mud.”
The music producer added in the post’s caption, “I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz i have a show in dc tonight and didnt want to let yall down. Also shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment.”
Rock also shared a clip on his Instagram Stories of the thick mud that formed on the festival’s grounds after a heavy rainstorm battered Nevada’s Black Rock Desert Friday night and into Saturday morning.
Due to the inclement weather, attendees have been ordered to “shelter in place” as well as to conserve food, water and fuel.
The Gate and airport in and out of Black Rock City remain closed. Ingress and egress are halted until further notice. No driving is permitted except emergency vehicles. If you are in BRC, conserve food, water, and fuel, and shelter in a warm, safe space. More updates to come.
— Burning Man Traffic (@bmantraffic) September 2, 2023
In an update Saturday afternoon, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “The Bureau of Land Management and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office officials have closed the entrance to Burning Man for the remainder of the event,” which was set to go until Monday.
The sheriff’s office advised people to “avoid traveling to the area; you will be turned around. All event access is closed.” The Nevada Department of Transportation also closed all travel lanes at Nevada State Route 447 near W Pyramid Lake Road due to flooding, according to the statement.
Several festivalgoers have been documenting their experiences on social media, showing the difficult reality of trying to trek through the mud. Some people could even be seen tying trash bags around their shoes and legs in an attempt to make walking easier.
At the time of writing, thousands of attendees are still stuck at the festival grounds.
