The temple has long been known as an architectural tribute to loss at Burning Man, the most significant burn aside from the burning of the man, on the penultimate night of the weeklong, annual gathering of about 70,000 people celebrating freedom of expression and art in the Black Rock Desert. During the Sunday night burn, the temple is engulfed in flames and the crowd remains somber, a striking contrast to the night before when fireworks and celebration are the backdrop of the man's burn.