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 Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in California.
The two C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, Aircraft and associated personnel will support firefighting efforts in the western United States.
The 152nd Airlift Wing’s “High Rollers” and 146th Airlift Wing “Hollywood Guard” reported on July 14. They initially will be based out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Base in California and are anticipated to remain in place through August 14.
On July 12, the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, or NMAC, raised the National Wildfire Preparedness Level to 4 (out of 5), reflecting increased wildland fire activity across multiple regions of the country. A total of 37,672 wildfires have burned about 2.5 million acres in the U.S. so far this year. Currently, 36 large fires are burning across several western states.
The High Rollers were activated along with other MAFFS units earlier this year to support the fires in the greater Los Angeles area and during the last firefighting season from July 18, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024, flying 74 sorties, accomplishing 77 drops and accumulating 207,109 gallons of fire retardant.
Having military C-130s that can be converted into airtankers provides a critical “surge” capability that can be used to bolster suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available. There are four MAFFS units nationwide: the Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; the Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming; the 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, California; and the 152nd Airlift Wing, in Reno, Nevada. U.S. Transportation Command activates these aircraft through its Air Mobility Command in support of U.S. Northern Command, or USNORTHCOM.
“The 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, is honored to once again answer the call in defense of our fellow Americans,” said Col. Catherine Grush, the commander of the 152nd Airlift Wing. “Fighting wildfires from the air is demanding and dangerous work, but our Airmen take immense pride in serving alongside our civilian partners to protect homes, communities and the people of Nevada. This mission hits close to home—and we’re all in.”
Air tankers are used to help build lines of containment with fire 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 program is a joint effort between the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense, or DoD. The U.S. Forest Service owns the MAFFS equipment and supplies the fire retardant, while the DoD provides the C-130 H and J model aircraft, flight crews and maintenance and support personnel to fly the missions. The MAFFS aircraft can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The equipment slides into the back of the military aircraft, and fire retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side.