More than 73,000 Burning Man attendees were told to stay at their camps Saturday and are blocked from leaving the event after a slow-moving rainstorm turned their desert playground into a soupy, muddy morass.

The Bureau of Land Management released a statement Saturday, saying Burning Man entry is now closed for good:

“Officials from BLM and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office have closed ingress to the Burning Man event effective immediately and for the remainder of the event. Participants inbound for the event should turn around and head home.

“Rain over the last 24 hours has created a situation that required a full stop of vehicle movement on the playa. More rain is expected over the next few days and conditions are not expected to improve enough to allow vehicles to enter the playa.”

[Reports on X are saying they are being told not to plan on being able to leave until Tuesday at least. That’s if ti STOPS raining. “Conserve food and water” might also be a problem with people new to the concept. ~ Beege]