The BURN2 team have announced the 2014 Burnal Equinox, which will take place between Friday March 28th and Sunday March 30th inclusive in the playa regions, and are inviting people to participate.

The title of the event is Hotter Than Air, and it is accompanied by a novel backstory, which reads in part:

At a time far into our future, the earth has been devastated by a multitude of scourges: harsh climate change, pollution, famine, and war. The playa is one of the last inhabitable places on earth, but toxic fumes cover the ground and rise to 100 meters. The only safe living environment is above the toxic gas at ground levels as the playa’s winds help purify the air at this altitude. Passing through this toxic ground zone is possible, but long-term exposure can be fatal.

One redeeming factor of the toxin is that when it is captured, placed into a balloon and mixed with the correct proportion of playa dust, it takes on the form of a very powerful, lighter-than-air gas. A single five-meter balloon can lift thousands of pounds into the air. The gaseous concoction has been fondly named Fairy Dust.

So it is that the people in this far distant future have built a city in the sky – platforms suspended beneath great balloons filled with Fairy Dust, the empty air between them bridged by fantastical lighter-than-air machines. And in this multi-platform, multi-level environment, the people celebrate a renewal of life every spring, decorating their balloons and platforms.

In keeping with this theme, the BURN2 committee invite people to submit an application for one of their 32x32x40 platform spaces in the skies over the playa, where they can design and build their own lifting balloon and platform and be a part of the celebrations. Visitor to the event will be able to move between the platforms in transport balloons available on each platform (rezzers will be supplied to successful build applicants), adding to the flavour of the theme throughout the weekend.

Successful applicants will be asked to build a balloon and platform with a land impact no higher than 400, within a 32×32 metre area between 100 metres and 275 metres altitude, and no taller than 40 metres from base to top. Balloons can take any form, so long as they fit within the 32x32x40 area. Please refer to the Builder’s Guidelines for further information on requirements, limitation and suggestions for builds.

With the exception of the Welcome Area and Gerlach town, all builds for the celebration will be in the sky, including the Centre Camp, Lamplighters Village, and this year’s Burn Area, making this a truly individual celebration.

The closing date for applications is Monday February 17th, 2014.