Event volunteering

Participation is one of the principles of Burning Nest, and a wonderful way to contribute to co-creating magic together. By purchasing a ticket, you’re committing to participate in the ongoing creation of this community, along fundamental principles & guidelines.

We are not yet looking for volunteers during the event for 2025. If you want to get involved ahead of the event, check out the organising page.

See below for more information about some of the Event teams you will be able to get involved with during the Burning Nest Event. Check back in the months before the Burn for information on how to sign up!

Rangers are a group of volunteers that assist the community in many different ways. They are a great source of information when questions arise, can offer help to new Nestlings in understanding Burning Man culture and the principles, and are happy to help participants if they get lost or are having any kind of trouble. They also help identify and mitigate safety hazards, maintain fire perimeters, help mediate conflicts, and can provide help to emergency services.

First and foremost, rangers are members of the community. They exist to help keep people safe and make everyone's burn awesomer! They always walk in pairs and carry a radio so they are able to call in help for themselves or others if needed. Rangers DO NOT enforce rules (unless there is an obvious safety-related reason to do so), DO NOT provide security (but can call security for you if needed), and DO NOT intervene unless asked to do so or they witness behaviour that is impacting (or likely to impact) someone else's experience.

Volunteering as a ranger is a great way to explore the event and meet new people! To become a ranger, you must attend one of the training sessions. Training is provided online pre-event and in person during the event. Get in touch if you are interested in signing up for a shift or two, have any questions or are ranger-curious (seasoned rangers, Nestlings or first timers all welcomed).

Who puts all those amazing structures up, and takes them down again after you leave? The Build and Strike team, of course! You won’t find a harder-working group of people, and they are always looking for new recruits. Whether you have a relevant skill (carpentry, DIY, power or logistics), or want to learn, WE WANT YOU!

Where's the party at? Baby, it's at the Gate! Welcoming Nestlings as they arrive is rewarding and essential - who else is going to help out newbies who need to know where the loos are? You'll be helping us give out wristbands, check tickets and direct Nestlings to the right place - first impressions count!

Whether you're feeling under the weather, flying high above the clouds, or feeling like you could use some company and a cup of tea, Welfare has you covered. Join the team of open hearted, caring individuals who support all fellow Nestlings in their times of need.

Don't burn, baby burn! Protect any wayward Nestlings from danger during the Effigy Burn and Temple Burn. Nestlings can be like moths drawn to an open flame. You'll also help prepare the Burns before folks arrive. You might even get to light one!

One of our guiding Burner Principles is to Leave a Better Trace. That means that on top of leaving NO trace (LNT) on the land from our individual and group activities, we should be running initiatives to IMPROVE the site and the world through the Burn. Sign up for LBT shifts to participate in on-site activities like Sweeps of MOOP (Matter Out of Place), Waste and Recycling (WAR) Zone Shifts and LBT initiatives.

Welcome to kitchen! Anyone can jump in to make sure our volunteers stay fed and watered during event week.

Join teams installing Decor around site, Building and maintaining the Point, Constructing the Effigy and the Temple! And then at the end, take it all down. (Not the Effigy and Temple. They will be ash.)

Be sure to sign up for Early Access if you're arriving on site before the Monday at the start of the event.

Join the Consent team for shifts on duty during the Event. You'll be a point person on call to help support individuals, resolve issues, and keep people feeling safe. Shifts will be allocated within the team.