Before the Burning Man Burned

I once spent a couple of days at the Burning Man Art Festival in Nevada.  Taking place on a dry, desert lakebed, more than 50,0000 people congregate to set up a temporary city for about ten days at the end of summer.  The largest “leave no trace” event in the world, the playa is returned to its natural state for the the rest of the year.  I was there just in time to experience a major white-out.  For about six hours huge clouds of dust enveloped Black Rock City.  The air became so opaque that you could get lost walking across the street, visibility being reduced to about two yards.  In the photograph is the man himself—the one who is burned at the climax of the event.  As seen here, he is about to be swallowed by the powdered earth.