A day of mourning will be held Thursday in the city of Xichang, capital of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in China's southwestern Sichuan Province in honor of the 30 lives lost in the battle of the recent forest fire. 

According to a government statement, all public entertainment and activities throughout the city will be halted on Thursday.

A total of 30 people, including 27 people from the Xichang fire department as well as one local forestry official, one forestry staffer and a villager were confirmed dead on Monday.

The youngest one was a 19-year-old firefighter.

They got trapped and later killed in the forest by a "huge fireball" which was formed on Sunday due to a sudden change in wind direction. The fire initially erupted on Saturday.  

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With tears and sorrow, a large number of citizens Tuesday voluntarily gathered at the funeral parlor to pay tribute as the victims' bodies were being transferred to Xichang.