Authorities are investigating the death of a woman at the annual counterculture festival known as Burning Man, which takes place in the northern Nevada desert. The Pershing County Sheriff's Office responded to a call on Sunday about a woman found unresponsive in Black Rock City, a temporary city erected for the festival located about 100 miles north of Reno.

Despite the efforts of emergency personnel from the Burning Man Project's emergency services team, they were unable to revive the woman. In a statement, festival organizers expressed their condolences to the family and friends affected by this tragic loss and assured their cooperation with the ongoing investigation by local authorities.

This unfortunate incident adds to the list of past fatalities at the Burning Man festival since its relocation from Baker Beach in San Francisco to the Black Rock desert in 1990. Just last year, a 32-year-old man from California died due to suspected drug intoxication after being found unresponsive on the festival grounds.

The Pershing County Sheriff, Jerry Allen, stated that the investigation into Sunday's death will continue until a cause and manner of death can be determined. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office is expected to provide further insights into the case following an autopsy.

The festival began on Sunday after a temporary closure due to rain and muddy conditions. Despite these challenges, an estimated 20,000 people were already present before the gates officially opened to all ticket-holders. Burning Man is set to continue until September 2nd, with organizers anticipating a turnout of over 70,000 attendees.

Burning Man is renowned for its unique blend of wilderness camping and a weeklong celebration of art. Over the years, the festival has grown significantly in size and popularity, making it temporarily the third-largest city in Nevada after Las Vegas and Reno. In 2023, an estimated 73,000 people attended the 35th annual Burning Man festival, with an additional 95,000 participating in regional events worldwide.

Despite safety measures implemented by organizers, past incidents have occurred at the festival, including a woman being hit by a bus in 2014 and an attendee falling under a trailer in 2007. Tragically, in 1996, a friend of Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey lost his life in a motorcycle collision with a van.

As authorities continue their investigation into the death of the woman at this year's Burning Man festival, the community mourns the loss and awaits the conclusions drawn from the autopsy.