Phoenix man attending Burning Man trapped in Nevada desert after heavy rain

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – A Phoenix man is one of the tens of thousands of people who were trapped in the muddy Nevada desert while attending the Burning Man festival over the weekend. “Almost everything gets stuck when it is very wet. Even four-wheel drive, it doesn’t matter, and now we are in that transition phase where it is starting to get dryer,” said Kirk Strawn, who lives in Phoenix and was attending the festival.

The rain turned the hard-packed ground into a muddy mess, stranding people with limited access to food, water and restrooms. The dry desert turned into an ocean of mud, making the roads at the camp’s outer edges totally impassable. Organizers locked the front gates, and 70,000 people were told to shelter in place and ration supplies. Officials say a man in his 40s died and collapsed over the weekend.

“Everyone is stuck in place… so what do you do? One of the most gratifying things is watching people help each other and making sure everyone has what they need. Food, materials, or just need shelter,” said Strawn.

He has been going to Burning Man for 14 years. He says despite the tough conditions, there was a strong sense of community amongst those trapped at the festival. “It just reminds me of how great people are. Everyone here is just pulling together,” said Strawn.

Strawn says he will be there for most of the week to help people get out safely. Others are holding out until the festival finale of watching the giant wooden stick figure set on fire, which was postponed until Monday night.

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