‘Scars on the playa’: Rushed exodus from rain-soaked Burning Man could have adverse environmental impacts
Burning Man is a spectacle every year. But this year’s event garnered international attention when nearly 70,000 attendees were trapped in the desert following a storm that created exceptionally muddy conditions, rendering travel on the Black Rock Playa — the ancient lakebed where the event is held — virtually impossible. … But Burning Man creates an unnatural situation on the playa, especially during periods of rain. The normal cycle — rainfall, standing water and evaporation and infiltration — was interrupted by thousands of festival attendees walking, riding and driving across the playa. … This year’s event likely caused changes that will take a long time to restore, and it could change the way the playa absorbs rain in the future.