CARSON CITY, Nev. – As wildfire season nears, the Nevada National Guard stands ready with freshly trained crews and aircraft, following April's intensive training and certification efforts.
About 40 Nevada Army National Guard Soldiers from northern and southern Nevada have completed annual wildland firefighting training in partnership with the Nevada Division of Forestry, earning Type 2 wildland firefighter certification and strengthening the state’s ground response capability.
The training, now in its fifth year, provided hands-on experience in essential firefighting tasks and reinforced the Guard’s role in supporting civil authorities during emergency operations.
During the training, Soldiers practiced key firefighting tasks, including digging fire lines, deploying fire shelters, handling ignition tools and using hand tools safely. The instruction also covered factors like fire behavior, topography, fuels and weather to prepare them for wildfire situations.
Sgt. Skylar Lujan, a returning participant, said the experience broadened his understanding of the Guard’s community support role and brought him a sense of pride and purpose.
“Having this opportunity really widens my perspective and gives me pride," Lujan said. "I’m working for the community, so it’s a win-win.”
The training was conducted in partnership with the Nevada Division of Forestry, strengthening coordination and interoperability among agencies responsible for wildfire response across the state.
Brian Pinelli, a squad boss with the Nevada Division of Forestry, said the partnership provides valuable support during large-scale incidents.
“When fires become larger than what we have the resources for, they become a great asset that we can use,” Pinelli said. “We enjoy partnering with them, being able to train with them and show them what we do on a day-to-day basis.”
Pinelli said the Guard’s integration during past incidents demonstrated their ability to operate alongside civilian crews.
“It was nice being able to call upon them, have them integrate with one of our crews and do what we needed them to do in a safe and successful way,” Pinelli said.
The Nevada National Guard’s wildfire response capability also includes aerial firefighting assets.
Aircrews from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing conducted Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems, or MAFFS, recertification training from April 20–24 at McClellan Airtanker Base in Sacramento, California, alongside the California Air National Guard, U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE.
The 152nd trained with other MAFFS-equipped Airlift Wings from California, Wyoming and Colorado. The training certified crews to use the MAFFS, which equips C-130s for aerial firefighting, delivering up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant per drop to support ground crews.
Nevada Army Aviation units based out of Reno-Stead provide additional aerial firefighting support using UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, capable of conducting water bucket drops and supporting ground crews during wildfire response operations.
The Nevada National Guard coordinates wildfire response using ground crews, MAFFS-equipped Air National Guard aircraft and Army aviation assets.
These combined capabilities have been applied in real-world operations, including the Guard’s activation in response to the 2024 Davis Fire in Washoe Valley.
Soldiers worked alongside forestry personnel and incident command teams, with crews operating 14 to 16-hour shifts to assist with containment efforts and help protect nearby communities. Lujan was among the team that was activated two weeks after the Type 2 wildland firefighting training and said the experience reinforced its value.
“It was good to get the hands-on experience and really apply the knowledge that we learned,” Lujan said.
Capt. Jason James, the officer in charge of the Soldiers attending the northern Nevada training and a participant in the exercise, said the combined training has prepared Soldiers to respond when needed.
“After the instruction we’ve received from our instructors here, I feel a hundred percent confident we can go in, be able to pick up tool packs, get out there on the line and help assist with fighting a fire,” James said.
James also said the mission reflects a core reason many Guardsmen like himself serve.
“One of the reasons I joined was to not only serve my country and nation, but also the community,” James said. “That’s one of the innate benefits of serving in the Army National Guard: to be there for the community.”
Through ongoing training and collaboration, the Nevada National Guard is dedicated to maintaining a coordinated response, significantly enhancing the state’s resilience against wildfire threats.