BLACK ROCK CITY, NEVADA — Craigh Mann, 60, was found dead in his camp at Burning Man on Saturday at approximately 3 p.m. Campmates discovered the body, marking the second attendee fatality during the 2026 festival.

The cause of Mann's death has not been disclosed. The Burning Man Project issued a statement regarding the incident. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the participant’s family, friends, campmates, and all those affected by this loss," the Burning Man Project said in a statement.

Weather conditions disrupted travel to the site in the Black Rock Desert. Rain forced the closure of the festival's main entry and exit gate. Organizers advised people planning to attend the festival to delay their travel and for those already at the event to avoid driving their vehicles.

The festival's airport also closed due to weather conditions. Organizers advised people trying to reach Black Rock City to remain in Reno until conditions improved.

The 2026 Burning Man festival began on August 30 and is scheduled to run through Monday, September 7. The 2026 Burning Man festival theme is "Axis Mundi." The event is an annual experimental festival based in Nevada, United States. Burning Man started in 1986.

Attendance figures show changes over recent years. Nearly 80,000 people attended Burning Man in 2019. Burning Man attendance has decreased since 2019.

The 2026 Burning Man festival has an estimated attendance of 70,000 people. Medical data from the previous year indicates the scale of health services required. The Burning Man festival's onsite emergency room treated 1,450 patients in 2025.

Why It Matters

The death of Mann represents the second fatality at the 2026 festival, following the death of a man in his mid-50s earlier in the week. These events occur alongside other serious incidents, including a serious injury from a fall and multiple arrests for drug trafficking and domestic violence. The festival continues to operate under challenging weather conditions that have closed gates and the airport, affecting the movement of the estimated 70,000 attendees.

Timeline

Burning Man started in 1986.

A man in his mid-50s died at Burning Man two days prior to Mann's death after suffering a medical emergency. Pershing County Sheriff Coroner Jerry Allen stated that deputies received a report on Thursday of a man found unresponsive on one of the festival's streets. The man in his mid-50s received lifesaving measures and was transported to the onsite emergency care center, where he was pronounced deceased. There have been 34 arrests for drug sales or trafficking at the 2026 Burning Man festival as of Friday morning.

What's New

Additional reporting has provided further details on the festival's context and operations. Pershing County Sheriff Coroner Jerry Allen stated that deputies received a report on Thursday of a man found unresponsive on one of the festival's streets. Vadim Kruglov, 37, was found fatally stabbed at Burning Man in August 2025, and no arrest has been announced in that case. An attendee was seriously injured earlier in the week after falling from the 55-foot Nest Tower at the Square One camp. There was an arrest related to domestic violence at the 2026 festival.