yes and no. it's all related to them. whatever they are, wherever they come from.

Frank stops there, he isn't really sure how to go on when he doesn't have much more info than Hopper. He waves the other man down the sandpath back into the village and begins leading towards his house where he has rainwater stored. He watches the other man carefully, knowing his symptoms will be returning soon.

the red dust is somehow related to their life and death cycles. i think it's what brought us here