Gov. Susana Martinez has ordered that New Mexico state flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Friday in honor of the firefighters killed while fighting an Arizona wildfire.
The 19 fallen firefighters were members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew, which is part of the Prescott Fire Department in northern Arizona.
They were killed Sunday while battling a wildfire in the small town of Yarnell.
Martinez says members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were in New Mexico a few weeks ago to battle the Thompson Ridge fire in Jemez.
The governor says the firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend families against the threat of wildfires.
Martinez signed an executive order Monday for the state flags to be flown at half-staff beginning at dawn Tuesday.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.