Burning Man revellers have been urged to bring smoke masks as wildfires ravage northwest Nevada. The iconic festival in the Black Rock desert opens its gates on Sunday, August 30, but just days out partygoers have been hit with a chilling warning.
Over half a dozen wildfires are burning in the north of the state, including the Hawk Fire which resulted in the evacuation of nearly 90,000 residents in Reno.
Strong winds forecast
The blazes combined with an intense southwest breeze mean the Burning Man settlement could be engulfed in smoke. This southwesterly wind is forecast from the middle of next week and usually occurs in the afternoon.
Wildfire smoke contains small particles hazardous for both the respiratory system and the bloodstream, with festival goers urged to pack a smoke mask in case the notorious desert winds blow fumes towards the site.
Mask warning
Jonathan Erdman at the Weather Channel said: “If you're attending, make sure to bring a mask in case wildfire smoke moves in.” People journeying to Black Rock city down through northwest Nevada could be at jeopardy of running into the flames too.
Last year, strong winds and blowing dust injured four people and damaged camps before the Burning Man events began.
Orgy Dome redesigned
The Nevada desert gales even ripped down the infamous Orgy Dome where public sex parties and sex-positive workshops took place. Luckily this year organisers have redesigned the Orgy Dome with a more robust framework able to withstand the winds.
Festival-goers, known as Burners, are expected to bring "all they need to survive" in the harsh desert where conditions can be "often violent and unpredictable", and ice is the only commodity sold in the makeshift city. During the festival, around 1,500 camps will be erected across the playa, the dried-up land on which Black Rock City sits, each hosting its own event.
