An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 17, 2023

Nevada Air Guard Helps Battle Western Wildfires

By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber, 152nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

NEVADA AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Nev. - The Nevada Air National Guard will support wildland firefighting operations in several western states at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center.

The NIFC asked the Nevada Air Guard to provide one C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS).
 
The 152nd Airlift Wing aircraft will replace the 153rd Airlift Wing out of the Wyoming Air National Guard from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and join the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, which were both working with the USDA Forest Service and other state and federal agencies fighting wildfires across the west since Aug. 3.

All MAFFS units are based out of the Klamath Falls Airtanker Base in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Having military C-130s that can be converted into airtankers provides a critical “surge” capability to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available.

A long, wet winter made conditions ripe for a late fire season this year, and the High Rollers are ready.

“The 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, proudly supports the aerial firefighting mission,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Sargent, the commander of the 192nd Airlift Wing. “We’ve dedicated people, aircraft and training to this mission and we are determined to help the nation and assist with this effort.”

First Air Force - Air Forces Northern (AFNORTH) headquartered at Tyndall AFB, Florida, U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component Command, is the Department of Defense’s operational lead for the aerial wildland firefighting military efforts. The team is committed to excellence through training and interagency relationships.

So far this fire year, 85 fires have burned 546,988 acres in 12 states, according to the NIFC website.

The initial request lasts through the end of August. The High Rollers initially activated last firefighting season from Sept 6-14, 2022, flying four sorties, accomplishing five drops and accumulating 8,087 gallons of fire retardant.

Air tankers help build lines of containment with retardant to help reduce the intensity and slow the growth of wildland fires. Dispatch centers deploy aircraft to drop fire retardant based on requests from civilian incident commanders.

The MAFFS aircraft can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The system slides into the back of the military aircraft, and retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side.

NIFC is the nation’s support center for wildland firefighting. It includes the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, National Weather Service, U.S. Fire Administration, National Association of State Foresters, and state emergency response agencies.

 

 

Related Articles
Three Air National Guard C-130s await launch orders July 14, 2021, at CAL FIRE Air Tanker Base, McClellan Park, Calif. The Department of Defense, through the commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), supports the National Interagency Fire Center in wildland firefighting operations.
152nd Airlift Wing 'High Rollers' extended on MAFFS duty
By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber, | July 20, 2021
RENO, Nev. – The Nevada Air National Guard's participation in the wildland firefighting mission in the West has been extended to Aug. 26 at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).Two additional C-130...

Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Maintenance Group and 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron personnel load Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) equipment onto MAFFS #8, aircraft #554 at the Nevada Air National Guard Base on July 12, 2025. U.S. Northern Command activated two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) Aircraft, one from the 152nd Airlift Wing out of Reno, Nevada, and one from the 146th Airlift Wing out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in California. Two C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS and their associated personnel will support firefighting efforts in the Western United States. The 152nd Airlift Wing’s “High Rollers” and 146th Airlift Wing's “Hollywood Guard” report on July 14, 2025, and will be initially based out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Base in California and are anticipated to be in place through August 14, 2025.
Nevada Air Guard Wing Assists in Firefighting Efforts
By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber, | July 18, 2025
RENO, Nev. – U.S. Northern Command has activated two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System Aircraft, one from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing out of Reno, Nevada, and one from the 146th Airlift Wing out of...

Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System Aircrew and personnel with the Colorado Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, the U.S. Forest Service, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) prepare two MAFFS-equipped C-130 aircraft to assist with firefighting efforts at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, California, July 15, 2024.
Air National Guard Helps Battle California Fires from the Air
By AFNORTH Public Affairs | July 17, 2024
At the request of the National Interagency Fire Center, U.S. Northern Command deployed two C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) from California and Colorado for wildland firefighting...