Burning Man Community Rallies Around Reno Resident Who Lost Everything in Hawk Fire
When Lars Mintz, a 27-year-old Reno resident and devoted Burning Man attendee, lost his camper van and nearly all of his possessions to the fast-moving Hawk Fire on Saturday, he thought his plans for Black Rock City were over. Instead, the Burner community stepped up in a way that has left him speechless.
Mintz, who had lived in the camper for five years and stored his Burning Man tickets, art supplies, and even his grandmother's ashes inside, was driving home from his job at a children's ski area when a neighbor called with devastating news: Peavine Mountain was burning, and so was everything he owned.
“I was like, 'Ah, it'll all be OK. The firefighters got it under control.' Then after it burned, it was kind of a realization of like s--t, it's gone and it's time to rebuild now,” Mintz told SFGATE.
What is the Hawk Fire and how bad is the damage?
The Hawk Fire ignited in northwest Reno on Saturday and exploded to 15,051 acres with just 27% containment as of Monday afternoon. Fire officials have said the blaze is “human-caused,” and its impact has been severe:
- At least 32 homes destroyed
- More than 100 power lines damaged
- Approximately 90,000 people forced to evacuate
Other Peavine Mountain residents are facing devastating losses too. One man lost a home he'd owned for more than two decades, according to a GoFundMe page, and another family is recovering after the fire tore through their property, leaving them without power or water.
How did the Burning Man community respond?
Without Mintz's knowledge, a friend posted about his camper fire on Facebook on Sunday. Since then, fellow Burners have rallied around him in ways he never expected.
On Monday, Mintz got a call from another Burning Man attendee who had also lost belongings in the Hawk Fire. The attendee, whom Mintz has never met, had extra tickets and offered them to Mintz and his girlfriend. Now, they plan to join forces in Black Rock City and share resources.
“We're all gonna figure it out together,” he said.
The generosity extends beyond ticket offers. Some Burners who arrived early in Reno have been riding motorcycles through the burn area to deliver gas to people stranded on the road, while others are offering their campers to those who have nowhere to go.
“It's just pretty awesome to see the community even outside of the Burning Man time coming together, and all of us just really making it happen in a time of crisis. There's so much craziness going on,” Mintz said.
Why is this fire hitting the Burning Man community so hard?
Reno is a common stop for Burners stocking up on supplies before heading to Black Rock City, and the event's gates open Aug. 30 at midnight. The fire has created a painful overlap between disaster and celebration.
Nearly every Burning Man attendee Mintz has spoken with this year, especially those who live locally, has been affected by the fire in some way.
“They're about to leave for a week, but they don't know if they're gonna be able to return to their home or to a scorched pile of ashes. So it's been on a lot of people's minds, just, 'How are they going to make this work?'” Mintz said.
Social media posts from both Burners and residents have expressed concern about the event coinciding with the disaster. Others have emphasized that many local businesses rely on the revenue Burners bring to the area, creating a complex dynamic of loss and economic need.
What's next for Mintz and others affected?
Despite losing his material world, Mintz says he remains hopeful. The event runs Sunday through Sept. 7, and he plans to be there, thanks to the community's support.
“The more I look at it and the more that I see that I'm receiving help from the community, it's kind of like my material world got a lot lighter,” Mintz said. “... It'll be a rebuilding process.”
For Mintz, the experience has reinforced what he always believed about the Burning Man community: it's “wholesome” and unlike anything he has experienced elsewhere.
“Both the Reno community and the Burning Man community are heavily affected by this,” he said. “Their whole plan just knocked up in the air.”
But as the fire continues to burn, one thing is clear: in times of crisis, this community shows up for each other.
This article was adapted from reporting by SFGATE. For ongoing updates on the Hawk Fire, visit local emergency services.