The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has activated four Department of Defense C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) to assist with the increased wildfire activity across the western United States.
One aircraft has been mobilized from each of the participating units: the Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, and the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing.
These four aircraft are joining the Forest Service and other state and federal agencies in their efforts to combat wildfires.
Initially, they will be operating out of the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Port Hueneme, California.
The use of military C-130s equipped with MAFFS technology provides a critical “surge” capability for wildfire suppression, particularly when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available.
The MAFFS system, which can be installed into the back of the aircraft, allows the C-130s to drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds over a quarter-mile line.
The retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side of the aircraft.
The national MAFFS program consists of a total of eight C-130 aircraft.
On July 10, the National Wildland Fire Preparedness Level was elevated to Level 4 out of 5, indicating increased wildfire activity across the United States.
This decision was made by the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group, which includes representatives from each wildland fire agency based at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.
The collaboration between the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of Defense exemplifies the coordinated efforts required to manage and suppress wildfires effectively.
As wildfire activity continues to rise, the deployment of these C-130 aircraft will play a vital role in supporting firefighting efforts across the affected regions.
