Burning Man's burned man denied appeal

The California Supreme Court has denied the appeal of Anthony Beninati, the Los Angeles real estate manager who unsuccessfully sued Burning Man organizers for failing to restrain him from walking into a fire.

Beninati's suit accused Black Rock City LLC, the San Francisco-based promoter, of negligently allowing people to approach the fire without safe pathways.

In a June 30 ruling, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco said anyone who takes part in an event with obvious dangers – downhill skiing, mountain climbing or walking up to a bonfire – knowingly risks injury.

"The risk of falling and being burned by the flames or hot ash was inherent, obvious and necessary to the event," the court said in a 3-0 decision that upheld a judge's dismissal of the suit.

Burning Man fire victim's suit goes up in smoke