By Mirna Alsharif - NBC News
Burning-Man festival goers were advised Friday to "shelter in place and stay in place," as well as conserve food and water available due to heavy rains in the Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada.
Entrances and exits to Black Rock City, where the event is taking place, were suspended. The airport was also closed, according to organizers.
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Burning Man is an event of self-expression that culminates in the burning of a 40-foot effigy. The practice originated in 1986 with the burning of a wooden "man" on Baker Beach in San Francisco, California, which evolved as an annual event in the Black Rock Desert.
People walk through mud Saturday in Black Rock City, Nevada.Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY NETWORK
Due to the rains, driving was banned from the town of Black Rock until further notice, with the sole exception of emergency vehicles.
"Stay prepared for the bad weather to continue all night and Saturday," organizers said Friday on social media.
Heavy rains hit the state Friday, with flooding threats for eastern, central and northeastern Nevada, according to the National Weather Service.
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"Flash flood threats will increase over the Labor Day holiday weekend as rain moves slowly and takes advantage of tropical monsoon moisture," the agency said in an update Saturday.
Another image from the Burning Man festival this Saturday in Black Rock City, Nevada.Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY NETWORK
"This will lead to multiple rounds of downpours and thunderstorms that will bring heavy rainfall to the north and center of the state," he added.
The flash flood warning will remain in effect in the region through Monday morning.
Overnight, Black Rock City received 0.6 to 0.8 inches of rain, organizers said.
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"The low pressure system that caused yesterday's rain has shifted westward, leaving us partly sunny skies and light winds. But rain will return Sunday morning and continue into the afternoon as the low pressure system moves east of Black Rock City and out of the region," the update reads.
"If you are in BRC, keep food, water and fuel and take refuge in a warm and safe space," insisted those who organize the festival.
It's unclear how many people attended the event this year, but tens of thousands typically gather each year depending on Burningman.org.
The festival began on August 27 and is expected to end on September 4.