Brad Horn/AP
Getting a little dirty is expected when attending Burning Man, during which its organizers advise taking a shower with a friend or a sponge bath to save water.
But the images to come out of this year’s festival, which officially kicked off on Sunday, show people caked in dust and mud as storms tore through the Playa, tearing apart camps and damaging the vehicles in the path of the scattered tarps and tent poles.
On Sunday and into Monday, traffic entering the gates of Black Rock City, the festival’s makeshift locale, was halted. Burning Man’s temporary airport paused operations on Sunday evening, when dozens of planes would typically land.
While the gates have reopened and the airport is expected to resume flights by midday, driving remains prohibited within Black Rock City.
Burners who were already on the Playa worked to recover from the destruction.
“It devastated a lot of camps. Ours included. Time to rebuild,” one attendee posted to X following Sunday’s wind, dust, and rain.
Insane wipeout/dust storm hit burning man this afternoon. It devastated a lot of camps. Ours included. Time to rebuild. pic.twitter.com/69mcCjUGO9
— Akshay Dodeja (@dodeja) August 24, 2025
Going into this year’s festival, Burners were predicting a “white out” dust storm given the forecast. On Saturday, wind gusts reached more than 50 mph, according to readings from a weather station at Black Rock City Airport. The winds wreaked havoc on tents and art installations and caused the gates to close for a two-hour period.
On Sunday, rain was added to the mix, leading to wet conditions that delayed entry to the festival.
Crazy storms currently at Burning Man 2025. #foryou #foryoupage #trending #burningman #burningman2025
In some clips, winds appear to whip around campsites, and dust makes it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Festivalgoers are seen wearing face masks and goggles to stave off the debris in the air.
It’s not the first time the festival has been affected by the weather. 2023’s Burning Man made headlines after heavy rains flooded the Playa. Generators broke down, tents collapsed, water systems failed, and the roads were impenetrable. Still, people raved, got married, and, eventually, burned down the effigy that gives the festival its name.
This year’s weather isn’t predicted to be as extreme, though rain is in the forecast throughout the week. Burners will undoubtedly party on.
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