A Nevada sheriff says the man who ran into the flames at the Burning Man festival’s signature burning ceremony has died.

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen says the man ran through a human-chain of security officers at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday during the Man Burn event at the counter-culture festival.

The sheriff says the man was rescued by firefighters and later died at the UC Davis hospital burn centre in California.

READ MORE: Burning Man: Road To Festival Temporarily Closed Because It Was Nearly Burning, Thanks To Wildfire

About 70,000 people are attending the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles (161 kilometres) north of Reno.

The nine-day event culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood. Attendees have tried to run into the flames as a symbol of rebirth.

Festival organizers addressed the incident on Twitter, expressing their grief over the incident.