Burners Without Borders volunteers have been closely watching the relief efforts on the East Coast following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering in the aftermath of the storm. With millions of people affected by Sandy and with so many people without flood insurance, the recovery effort will be challenging and lengthy.

BWB has deployed an assessment team to New Jersey, led by BWB Co-founder and Director of Operations for Katrina, Richard Scott. During the 8 months BWB was deployed on the Gulf Coast in the wake of Katrina, Richard’s incredible heavy machinery skills enabled BWB to gift over $1million worth of debris removal to the region. When Hurricane Ike struck three years later, Richard was there to remove destroyed houses, so that those affected could quickly recover and move forward with their lives.

This week, Richard will be meeting with our local contacts in New Jersey to tour affected areas that are not receiving relief assistance. BWB’s mission is to fill in the gaps of the major recovery effort, and we will be looking for the most effective way to accomplish this goal.

Richard is currently in contact with heavy machinery companies who have donated machines to BWB in the past. We are also looking into possibly creating a base of operations in New Jersey for a larger volunteer deployment.

We will be providing updates to this list as they become available.

You can also keep up with updates on the BWB Facebook Page.

How can you help?

1. BWB is currently seeking introductions to equipment rental companies that would like to support our efforts.
2. We are seeking a community center or public space in New Jersey to set up a base of operations for a potential volunteer deployment.
3. Do you have information about communities that are hard hit but receiving little help? We want to know about them.

E-mail sandyrelief here: sandyrelief (at) burnerswithoutborders.org with any information you have that can support the relief effort.

You can donate to the BWB relief effort by clicking clicking here.

[Marnee Benson is the Deputy Director of Black Rock Solar, the solar non-profit spinoff from Black Rock City LLC.]

And then one day in July, under a blazing Nevada sun, the veteran Black Rock Solar crew put the finishing touches on a gorgeous hundred-kilowatt array at the Desert Research Institute in Reno.  Not only would the array provide clean, renewable energy to the internationally-recognized research center for decades to come, it also marked the two millionth watt of solar installed since Black Rock Solar dedicated its first free array in the tiny, remote outpost of Gerlach some five years ago.  An array built by a ragtag team of DPW volunteers working for breakfast at Bruno’s, packs of cigarettes, and a bunk in the town’s dusty trailer park.  Well, that’s the legend anyway…

The 2007 crew on the playa during Burning Man. Photo by Marnee Benson

The Black Rock Solar crew in Gerlach, circa 2007. Photo credit unknown.

100 kW at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. Photo by Paddy McCully

 We’ve come a long way, baby

Now it’s 2012 and Black Rock Solar has one of the most experienced construction crews and professional project development teams in the state.  In the past two months alone the 501(c)(3) non-profit has commissioned six more systems, bringing the grand total to 53 and the number of individual panels installed by hand to 12,313.  Some, like the tiny 2.9 kW off-grid array at Urban Roots Farm, provide a small amount of power where it’s needed most.  Others, like the 200 kW array at Western Nevada College, are keystone systems at statewide institutions of higher education, visible to thousands of students and educators every day, helping to make solar power part of the right now rather than the maybe someday. Read more »

Jeff Steinmetz reports from Australia’s Regional Burn …

Yes, there are Kangaroos on the edges of the forest, home of the Australia Regional Burn, “Burning Seed”.

Local Artist – Burning Seed Gate Entrance

Jeff here, fresh out of the Australian bush (The Matong Forest). I’m writing about the experience while it’s still fresh in my mind, ripe with connection and excitement to be part of something in its early formative years. Now in its third year, SEED drew 600 participants to its week-long burn in the Matong State forest near Wagga Wagga, NSW. This location provides a journey of about six hours from either Sydney or Melbourne.

The trip took shape while we were on the Black Rock Desert, where we were able to network with Regional contacts from around the world. My travel partner Wally Bomgaars (aka Odwally), Playa Safety Council Manager, also made the trek, and worked to craft a custom Ranger training with Melbourne-based Will Marshall, team lead for the Burning Seed Rangers (Wally and his culinary arts were also appreciated in the kitchen and the event – Seed didn’t know they were going to get a chef too!). Traveling together with Wally, it was my hope that the Burning Man Project would continue to personally connect with the Regional events. It was a time for me to listen to their team, embrace their differences, and generally be available to understand areas where the Project can be helpful. The long and short of it – they have something special brewing in Australia. Read more »

By now you have hopefully done your laundry (check), cleaned your tent (check), cleaned your other gear (not yet) and settled back into life at home.  If this was your first year in Black Rock City and you are reading this blog, then you were probably deeply affected by your experience.  Did you learn about yourself, your friends, your community, and creativity?  Many of you are experiencing a post Burning Man malaise as you try to figure out how to integrate your experience with your life at home.  Decompressing can be tough and most of us go through it in some form or another no matter how many years we have been going.  Fortunately, you do not have to go through this alone if you know where to look.

Read more »

[Jennifer Raiser is an avid long-time Burner, Burning Man Project board member, theme camp leader, and Black Rock Ranger. Her writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Nob Hill Gazette and most often for her publication, SFWire.]

 “How was Burning Man?” they inquire as I ascend the shallow red-carpeted stairs leading up to the Opera House. It is five days after Exodus, and I am reluctantly back in San Francisco, Center Camp of the default domain. I am here to mark the festive highlight of another tribe, the ninetieth annual Opening Night at the Opera. To some, this happy occasion commands the same kind of importance that we associate with Burn night. Tonight’s task is to write about the grand gesture of opera and the people who are its patrons. I am charged with distilling and interpreting the evening into an article to be read by those who attend, and those who do not. The dual role as enthusiast and observer is familiar. On playa, I am a passionate participant, a Ranger, a theme camp leader, a volunteer and an author; here, I am a friendly alien who comes from that arid planet near Gerlach and happens to pen a social column.

Acquaintances here are polite and prodding about the desert. They indulgently inquire about Burning Man in the same way you might bring up a shared alma mater, or a mutual love of licorice, knowing it is a certain conversation starter. Some truly want to know, some want me to know that they know, or think they know, about my annual retreat to my happiest (and saddest, and most demanding) place on earth. I try to disarm their suspicion with the comparisons between tonight and the burning of the Man. In both places, I remind them, like-minded spirits gather to share a communal dinner, enthusiastic dancing, and well-stocked bars openly coursing with goodwill. We are corseted and costumed in ensembles carefully curated for the occasion.  We mark this artistic triumph with the biggest party of the year. Read more »

Time to return to our Alter Ego’s

Well, that was amazing.

Now comes the hard part: Adjusting back to life in the default world.

I am not going to pretend it isn’t rough. But after 15 years of making the transition, I wanted to share a few things that help me.

1) You can be the same person.
The default world will not treat you the way that the people of Black Rock City do. But you can still treat everyone here the way that you did out there: Be kind. Be wacky. Open your heart and share your gifts. In time, more and more people will respond as Burners…whether they’ve been to BRC or not. Read more »

Photo by Sidney Erthal

There are a number of “SimulBurns” happening around the world … if you can’t make it to Black Rock City, but want to feel the Burn, and you’re near one of these areas, hook up! (Note that these aren’t official Burning Man events. Your mileage may vary.)

Location: North Bay Area B.F.H.C. (die guessing) — Undisclosed Location in Sebastopol, CA
Date: Thurs Aug 30 @ 4pm through Mon Sept 3 @ 4pm
Name: Captain Cluck
Description: This a rad, 3rd annual, 4-day, under-the-radar event on an awesome property with a superb cast of seasoned burners. Due to space limitations, this event is INVITE ONLY. We may already be maxed out, but if not, we will pull names from a wait list. If interested, please send us your contact info and a Facebook link and tell us why you are jonesing for a BM-like experience. Bear in mind, compelling theme camps or large pieces of artwork or other unique contributions to the event may put you on top of the list. Please send inquiries to: howhuman here: howhuman (at) comcast.net Thanks!

Name: Pete Wyatt
Event: Hekeburn
Location: The Domes, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand
Date: Sept 1st from whenever
Description: We are not going to Burningman this year instead The Man is going to burn here in our Home of the Domes. Grab your finest Playa gear and other essential supplies and head to Waiheke Island for a Full Moon and other burner mayhem. Contact Pirate Captain Lumos on +64210572722 or lumosnz here: lumosnz (at) gmail.com. PS: I will be taking a vehicle over to the island so I will have room for your extra gear (and I will sell it to the highest bidder upon arrival on the island).

Location: Central (contact for details) Christchurch Canterbury, New Zealand
Event: Burning Man sucks, so we’re not going!
Date: September 2nd 11am-11pm
Name: Hippie Tim
Description: A party to celebrate the burning of the Man while our friends with the means to do so enjoy what’s shaping up to the dustiest year ever on the Playa.

The Man burns at about 4:00PM NZ time so we’ll have it up on the big screen so we can all celebrate, hopefully it won’t be too dusty for us to be able to see it! And throughout the party we’ll have the live stream running on it so we can all check out the art etc etc, it will be as if we’re there!

Come dressed in your finest costumes (if you’ve got something that is still playafied then bring that!) and we’ll do our best to mentally transport ourselves to the Black Rock Desert. We’ll have a themed bar running and will be getting right properly day time drunk! We’ll have a BBQ going for dinner so please bring something to cook and share with everyone. If anyone has any installations they’re making for Kiwiburn then feel free to bring along models and drawings to share with everyone so we can all get excited!

Feel free to bring anyone and everyone whether they have been out to the desert or not to enjoy this lovely event! It will be a great chance to show newbies what we’re all about. Feel free to participate! This is a Do-ocracy, if you want to do something DO IT! Drop a line to hippie here: hippie (at) kiwiburn.com for more details.

Location: Thames Beach, London
Event: Balsa Blighty
Date: 9/1/2012 7pm – high tide
Name: Miss Cheeky
Description: Balsa Man London regional Tiny burn on the Thames beach.

Location: SF Bay Area, 20600 Aldercroft Heights, Los Altos, CA
Event: Summer Blaze: The Orphans
Date: 8/29/2012 – 10/3/2012
Name: Hibbard Engler
Description: http://orphans.kcd.com Summer Blaze: The Orphans
An Alternative to the alternative! We will have up to 1200 people gather at Lupin Lodge for a Burner friendly event. There are 30 artistic events and 12 DJ’s going on to handle the unticketed. The Blaze goes from Wednesday August 29th to Monday morning, September 3. Phone hotline is 408-310-5297 email orphans here: orphans (at) kcd.com

Location: Netherlands, Magneet Festival Grounds Amsterdam Noord-Holland
Event: Burning Mill
Date: 9/1/2012 23:00:00
Name: Marco Antonio Morales
Description: http://www.magneetfestival.nl/idea/burning-night We celebrate Burning Night at Magneet Festival honouring something unique to the Netherlands and relevant to this year’s theme (Fertility 2.0) in a uniquely Dutch interpretation of fertility: the ubiquitous Windmill, which has turned otherwise unusable land into fertile soil across the Netherlands.

The Windmill will be a beacon of expression and interaction – until September 1st. On this night come along wearing your best Burning Man outfit and *no shoes*, and we will set the Windmill alight after a celebratory ceremony of fire and non-amplified music. (drums, guitars and other instruments)

The resulting ashes will be mixed with fertilizer and a tree-pot built on Sunday, so the following weekend a meiboom tree can be planted to complete the fertility circle – just in time for all those returning from the Burning Man to join, adding their own ashes from the Man. Ribbons will be available where you can write your wishes for the coming year and tie them to the tree until the end of the Magneet Festival.

Get involved, participate, find out how you can help, dance around the fire – and make this Burn one to remember!

Despite many years on the Playa, I have to admit the heat is oppressive.

This is a different kind of heat. Every evening for the past two days tremendous thunderstorms have sporadically blasted over the festival site, sending lightning shooting across the sky and dousing everything in tepid rain. The result is a humid sweltering slickness that sticks to your skin. It makes me long for playa dust to dry things out.

I turn to Jana Polnischova, the young woman sitting next to me and ask what the temperature is.

“Oh, it’s 35 degrees at least, maybe as high as 38,” she says.

I do the mental calculation and figure that yeah, it’s well over 95 degrees Fahrenheit, maybe 102. So… it’s 1 pm on Saturday and it’s definitely hot.

Photo by Matt Nelson.

Up on the stage Burning Man LLC founding members Larry Harvey and Marian Goodell are both sitting in chairs smiling. They’ve got a couple of stand-up fans spinning three feet away trying to keep them cool, but even so it’s clear there’s no way either is really comfortable. Standing next to them is Michal Kaščák, our host, and he’s smiling out at the audience as he speaks rapid-fire Slovakian into his microphone. Read more »