Burning Man Opens with Fatality, Harsh Weather

Tragedy and Delays Mark Opening of Burning Man Festival

The first day of the 2024 Burning Man festival was overshadowed by tragedy and delays after one attendee died and gates opened 12 hours late due to weather conditions.

The Burning Man Project confirmed the death in a statement released Sunday, reporting that emergency services responded to an unresponsive person at 11:29 a.m. Despite immediate life-saving measures, responders were unsuccessful.

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen told the Reno Gazette Journal that deputies were notified of the death at 11:37 a.m. The victim, identified only as an unnamed woman, will have her identity released after next-of-kin notification. The sheriff's office stated, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the decedent.... This is the first reported death on the playa this year and unfortunately it has happened on day one."

An investigation into the death is ongoing, pending an autopsy to determine the cause and manner. Burning Man's statement offered condolences and promised cooperation with authorities, respecting the family's privacy.

Weather Delays Opening of Burning Man Gates

The festival also faced significant weather delays on its opening day. The Reno Gazette Journal reported that 20,000 attendees had to wait an additional 12 hours due to rain and muddy conditions. Located in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, Burning Man is susceptible to extreme weather, which caused major challenges in 2023 when heavy rainfall led to road closures and supply shortages.

Event Details and History

This year’s Burning Man runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 2, with an expected attendance of over 70,000 people. This is a drop from 2022's 75,069 and 2019's 78,850. Notably, 2024 is the first year since 2011 that tickets didn’t sell out.

Burning Man, founded by Larry Harvey and Jerry James in 1986, began with a human-shaped sculpture burned on Baker Beach in San Francisco. It gained popularity in the 1990s and moved to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, attracting tens of thousands of "Burners" annually.

The festival emphasizes self-expression and rejects capitalism and corporatism, with attendees opting to borrow, barter, and trade instead of using money. The event aims to be self-sustaining and leave no trace, though issues like drug use, arrests, and sexual assaults are not uncommon.