Aug 31, 2008 3:17 pm US/Eastern
Nev. Dust Storm Has Revelers Leaving Burning Man
RENO (AP) ―
A dust storm has caused some participants to leave the counterculture Burning Man festival before its traditional climax Saturday night on the northern Nevada desert.
Roger Farschon is incident commander for the federal Bureau of Land Management.
He says the dust storm on the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles north of Reno began early this afternoon and whiteout conditions continue.
The annual celebration of radical self-expression is scheduled to climax tonight with the torching of its 40-foot signature effigy.
Authorities reported the crowd this morning reached a record 49,599, up from 47,097 last year.
Farschon says he's unaware of any fatalities or major arrests during the weeklong event leading up to Labor Day.
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