Area 51 raid countdown: Residents 'prepare for worst' as UFO enthusiasts descend on remote rural town

Bonnie Christian20 September 2019

Residents living near a secretive military base known as Area 51 are “preparing for the worst” as alien hunters start to descend on the rural Nevada town.

Fans of the viral Storm Area 51 Facebook event have travelled from around the world to the remote desert towns of Rachel, home to about 50 people and without a grocery store or petrol station, and Hiko.

"It's happening. We already have people from all over the world," owner of Little A'Le'Inn, Rachel’s only business, said.

Residents of the town are worried their community might be overwhelmed by unruly crowds responding to an invite to “storm” Area 51. The joke event has had two million people indicate they are attending.

Storm Area 51: September 2019 - In pictures

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A linked festival has since been moved because of fears of a “possible humanitarian disaster” but another makeshift festival was being set up on grounds near Rachel on Friday.

Elected officials signed emergency declarations after the Facebook event went viral over summer.

The once secretive military base known as Area 51 has stoked conspiracy theories that it houses the remnants of a flying saucer and bodies of its alien crew from the crash of an unidentified flying object in Rosewell, New Mexico in 1947.

The US government did not confirm the base existed until 2013, when it released CIA archives saying the site was used to test top-secret spy planes.

A beer company has produced alien themed cans in preparation for the event.
AFP/Getty Images

"We are preparing for the worst," said Joerg Arnu, a Rachel resident who could see from his home a makeshift stage and cluster of portable toilets in a dusty area recently scraped of brush surrounding the Little A'Le'Inn.

Mr Arnu said he installed outdoor floodlights, fencing and "No Trespassing" signs on his 30-acre property. He's also organised a radio-equipped night watch of neighbours, fearing there won't be enough water, food, trash bins or toilets for visitors.

Dozens of people have already arrived at the town.
AFP/Getty Images

"Those that know what to expect camping in the desert are going to have a good time," Mr Arnu said. "Those who are looking for a big party are going to be disappointed."

"It will get cold at night. They're not going to find what they're looking for, and they are going to get angry,” he added.

"We really didn't ask for this," said Varlin Higbee, a Lincoln County commissioner who voted to allocate $250,000 in scarce funds to handle anticipated crowds.

The United States Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51 is a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base.
DigitalGlobe/Getty Images

"We have planned and staged enough to handle 30,000 to 40,000 people,"Mr Higbee said. "We don't know how many will come for sure."

Though the creator of the Facebook event later called it a hoax, the overwhelming response has sent local, state and military officials scrambling.

Promoters began scouting sites, a beer company produced alien-themed cans. A Nevada brothel offered discounts to "E.T. enthusiasts” and the Federal Aviation Administration closed nearby air space this week.