RENO, Nev. -- Authorities said Monday that they are investigating the death of a woman at the counterculture festival known as Burning Man , which is held annually in the northern Nevada desert.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office stated that emergency personnel responded to a call regarding an unresponsive woman discovered around noon on Sunday in Black Rock City — a temporary city constructed for the festival, approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Reno.

The Burning Man Project's emergency services team attempted life-saving measures on the woman, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss,” festival organizers expressed in a statement. “We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident."

Since its relocation from Baker Beach in San Francisco to the Black Rock desert in 1990, approximately six additional deaths have been reported at the festival. Last year, a 32-year-old California man succumbed to suspected drug intoxication after being found unconscious at the festival grounds.

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen stated in a press release that the investigation into Sunday's fatality will continue until a definitive cause and manner of death can be established. An autopsy will be performed, and updates will be provided upon its completion.

A call to the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office went unanswered on Monday.

Allen stated that the woman's name and age would not be disclosed until her relatives are informed.

The festival, blending wilderness camping with a weeklong celebration of art for art's sake, began early Sunday after the gates were closed for 12 hours due to rain and muddy conditions.

An estimated 20,000 individuals were already on the playa before the gates formally opened to all ticket holders.

Burning Man continues through September 2. Organizers anticipate more than 70,000 attendees at this year's event.

Famous for its vibrant theme camps, impressive sculptures, drum circles, art cars, and avant-garde performances, the event has expanded from a gathering of around 4,000 in 1995 to 50,000 in 2010. Now, it temporarily becomes Nevada's third-largest city, after metropolitan Las Vegas and Reno.

In 2023, the 35th annual Burning Man festival attracted an estimated 73,000 attendees, with an additional 95,000 participating in affiliated events worldwide.

The event faced disruptions due to a protest blockage, subsequently cleared by local authorities. Moreover, a light rainfall of about half an inch (approximately 1.3 centimeters) transformed the playa into mud, making vehicular and bicycle travel challenging.

Authorities set up cell towers and asked attendees to remain in place until the rain stopped.

Other fatalities recorded at Burning Man in previous years include a woman who was struck by a bus in 2014 and an attendee who fell under a trailer in 2007. In 1996, a friend of Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey was killed in a collision with a van while riding his motorcycle at night.