Rainbow fire wardens prowl the site in search of open fires. Generally, the fire regulations have been observed. There are no bathrooms for the 20,000 Rainbows, who have dug slit latrines. This has caused concern about ground-water contamination. In addition, rangers say the ground is severely compacted by foot traffic and will require about a year to recover.
Rainbows say they minimize impact on the trails and re-seed meadows.
An aerial scan by Arizona Fish and Game officers confirmed that the majority of the wildlife in the area have fled in the face of such a mass of humanity. Within the various camps, signs are posted regarding respect for the streams, forest and grasslands. Interestingly, these messages are invariably affixed by nails hammered into trees. The vast, leaderless collective operates on a consensus system, and is adamant that it has no hierarchy. There are Rainbows all over the world, and the whereabouts of the national gathering is made known by word of mouth and the Internet.