Burning Man Records 1,524 Injuries Among 70,000 Attendees in 2024

Rachael Gingery, a San Francisco resident, suffered severe injuries including a fractured spine, broken ribs, a bruised spleen, and a punctured lung after falling approximately 20 feet from a wooden ship art installation at the 2024 Burning Man festival. Despite the severity of her injuries and spending 16 hours in the event's makeshift hospital before further treatment, Gingery plans to return to Burning Man for her ninth visit, expressing that the festival's inherent dangers contribute to its excitement. The festival, held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert with over 70,000 attendees, is known for its risks such as extreme heat, dehydration, drug and alcohol use, and injuries from climbing large art installations, with over 1,500 injuries reported in recent years and at least one death each in 2023 and 2024. Gingery credits her backpack and hair clip for cushioning her fall and preventing paralysis. Organizers emphasize participant health and safety, operating the Rampart medical clinic staffed with doctors and EMTs equipped with diagnostic tools. Despite these hazards, the festival continues to draw visitors who accept the risks as part of the experience.