WINNEMUCCA – The largest Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permitted recreation event on public lands begins August 29 thru September 5th in Pershing County, Nev. The Burning Man festival is held annually on the barren playa of the Black Rock Desert approximately 10 miles northeast of the community of Gerlach, Nev. During this time, Black Rock City becomes one of the largest cities in Nevada, with approximately 50,000 participants.
“The regional economic boost from this BLM permitted recreational event will have a lasting economic effect to the local community and surrounding areas, said Black Rock Field Manager Rolando Mendez. “With the permit come stipulations that protect the environment and stringent cleanup which meet Leave No Trace requirements.”
The majority of the playa will remain open to the public during Burning Man although a part of the playa is temporarily closed for the event. The Burning Man event area is approximately 3,273 acres which represents approximately three percent of the Black Rock Desert playa. The Burning Man closure area represents approximately 13 percent of the Black Rock Desert playa.
The festival has been held since 1990 and has been permitted by the BLM since 1992. The operations associated with the event start with fencing the site perimeter the second week of August and concluding in late September with the final site cleanup. The major activities are confined to several weeks in late August and early September associated with final setup, the actual event, and the initial phases of cleanup.
