Los Angeles county sheriff’s deputy Levi Vargas died on Saturday after a medical emergency while participating in an annual relay race through the Mojave desert. He was 30 years old.

Vargas had been competing at the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup relay race, which follows a 120-mile (193km) course from Baker, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, through the Mojave desert. Several law enforcement agencies send 20-runner teams annually to compete in the race.

States across the US south-west, including California and Nevada, have shattered heat records this March.

The sheriff’s department did not immediately disclose the cause of Vargas’s death. He received emergency medical care before dying from his injuries, the department said.

Vargas joined the department in 2015, serving most recently in the city of San Dimas.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Deputy’s family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time,” the department wrote in a message on X. “The loss of our beloved Deputy, a 13-year veteran, is felt across the entire LASD family. We ask our community to join us in honoring our Deputy’s service and keeping his loved ones in your thoughts during this challenging time.”

Record-breaking heat across the south-west has prompted the National Weather Service to issue health advisories in numerous cities.