Diplo shared on social media that he and Chris Rock left Burning Man after torrential rain turned the festival into a muddy mess, preventing attendees from entering or leaving.
In a video posted to the DJ’s Instagram, he can be seen riding in the back of a pickup with the comedian and others. “A fan offered Chris Rock and me a ride out of Burning Man in the back of a pickup truck,” he also wrote in the video. “After walking 10 kilometers through the mud.”
The music producer added in the post’s caption, “I spent hours walking by the side of the road with my thumb out because I have a show in DC tonight and I didn’t want to let you guys down.” Shout out to this guy too for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment.
Rock also shared a clip on his Instagram Stories of the thick mud that formed on the festival grounds after a heavy downpour hit Nevada’s Black Rock Desert Friday night and Saturday morning.
There have been participants due to the bad weather ordered to “take shelter in place” and to save food, water and fuel.
In a Saturday afternoon update, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement“The Bureau of Land Management and officials from the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office have closed the entrance to Burning Man for the remainder of the event,” which was scheduled to last through Monday.
The sheriff’s office advised people not to “travel to the area; you are turned around. All access to events is closed.
” The Nevada Department of Transportation also closed all lanes on Nevada State Route 447 near W Pyramid Lake Road due to flooding, the statement said.
Several festival-goers have documented their experiences on social media, showing the harsh reality of trying to pull through the mud. People could even be seen tying trash bags around their shoes and legs in an effort to make walking easier.
According to the festival’s website, “Burning Man is a global ecosystem of artists, makers and community organizers co-creating art, events and local initiatives around the world.” The festival, which attracts an average of 70,000 attendees annually, initially started in 1986 in San Francisco before moving to Nevada in 1991.
