After Undercover Cops Arrest Burning Man Attendees For Drug Violations, Many Are Left Stranded In The Desert Due To Dust Storm

Burning Man 2024 attendees waited 10 hours to leave the grounds as a dust storm reduced visibility to five feet on the last day of the festival.

Drivers were barely able to get to the site on Monday, and those who chose to attend with bare legs that day suffered burns from the dust due to high winds. The storm began on Friday and picked up throughout the weekend.

Bad weather has been known to plague the annual desert festival, as last year’s attendees were forced to shelter in place due to heavy rainstorms and flooding.

This year’s festival was also characterized by the tragic passing of a participant on the first day. The cause of death of Kendra Frazer, 39, is still unknown, and it could be months before the toxicology reports provide an answer, officials say.

Additionally, many of this year’s Burning Man attendees were arrested for drug-related activity and fined thousands of dollars by an undercover sting operation targeting festival-goers who charged others for rides without the proper permits, which is illegal in the state of Nevada.

Burning Man 2024 was the first event to fail to sell out in over a decade, most likely due to the string of bad weather and concerning reports of death and injury.