For the second consecutive year, extreme weather wreaked havoc on the Burning Man exodus, leading to massive traffic backups as attendees attempted to leave the Black Rock Desert on Monday. Dust storms over the weekend caused visibility to plummet, resulting in estimated wait times of up to ten hours as thousands of vehicles inched their way out of the desert.
The event is popular with California residents.
While this year’s exodus was not as chaotic as last year’s, when Tropical Storm Hillary forced organizers to prevent anyone from leaving for several days, the conditions were still challenging. High winds and thick dust clouds brought traffic to a standstill for much of Monday, the event’s final day.
Adding to the frustration, car rental companies have vowed to impose hefty fines on anyone returning vehicles with traces of the desert dust, which is notoriously difficult to clean. Renters could face charges of several hundred dollars if even a speck of the incriminating dust is found on the vehicles.