Winnemucca, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca District Office announced in the Federal Register on July 25 a temporary closure and temporary restrictions of certain activities on public lands immediately surrounding the site of the 2013 Burning Man event. The temporary closure and temporary restrictions are to provide for public safety and to protect public resources, and will be in effect from Aug. 12 through Sept. 16.
While the actual event is held from August 26 through Sept. 2, the temporary closure for a longer period of time is necessary because of the event activities in the area, starting with fencing the site perimeter, final setup, initial phases of cleanup, and final site cleanup.
The temporary closure affects about 13 percent, or about 14,153 acres of the Black Rock playa within the Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA). The temporary closure reserves the 8-Mile entrance to the Black Rock Desert playa solely for Burning Man ticket holders, but all other playa access points and nearly 87 percent of the playa remains open to public use.
According to Winnemucca District Manager, Gene Seidlitz, similar temporary closures for the Burning Man event in past years have been implemented with minimal disruption to other public uses.
Temporary restrictions are in effect for activities such as disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, under age use of alcohol, weapons, fires, and discharge of waste water within the closure area.
The BLM will post information signs and maps about the temporary closure and temporary restrictions at main entry points around the playa, at the BLM Winnemucca District Office, at the Black Rock Visitor Center, and on the district website at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/
