Burning Man Halts Gates At Wadsworth Due To Storm

Traffic headed to Burning Man’s Black Rock City has been turned away from the gates due to wind and rain. Early Monday morning at 6:45 a.m., Burning Man’s website noted rain and wind has stoped in Black Rock City.

“The ground is drying up and vehicles on Gate Road are starting to move into the city,” a statement posted to the festival’s website read. “Take your time and follow instructions from staff. If you’re in Reno, stay put. Traffic is being stopped in Wadsworth, and you will be turned around. Keep an eye on this channel for updates and delay your travel until you see an update that the Gate is open. The BRC Airport is currently closed.”

At 7:30 a.m. PT, the Black Rock City entrance gate was opened.

“Due to variable weather conditions over the past few days, wait times for the 8-mile playa entrance on County Route 34 to the Gate are expected to range 6-8 hours today but could change with the weather. If you’re in Reno, you may travel to Black Rock City.”

Buner Express Bus services are scheduled to depart Reno and San Francisco on schedule. The weather continues to remain unstable, and attendees are encouraged to plan for delays, and to tune into BMIR 94.5 FM to continue monitoring for weather and traffic updates.

Lines getting into the playa remain long, with Sunday, Aug. 24, the first day of the annual festival that runs through Sept. 1. The festival is encouraging fans to remain in Reno until the gates could safely be opened. Attendees already on site are encouraged to secure their structures and belongings, while those waiting to enter the festival grounds are told to keep an eye on the festival’s website for updates.

In 2023, the festival grounds were flooded due to a massive storm, leaving attendees stranded on site for days. Disruptions have plagued the festival for years, icnluding dust storms leading organizers temporarily closing entrances in 2018.