Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      A Nevada Air National Guard Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System C-130 assigned to the 152nd Airlift Wing takes off from Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, for Klamath Falls, oregon, Aug. 16, 2023. The MAFFS aircraft is helping to fight wildfires in several western states.A Nevada Air National Guard Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System C-130 Hercules assigned to the 152nd Airlift Wing takes off from Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, for Klamath Falls, Ore., Aug. 16, 2023. The MAFFS aircraft is helping to fight wildfires in several western states. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Nevada Air Guard helps battle western wildfiresPublished Aug. 17, 2023
                    
                    By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber,
                    
                    
                    152nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
            **NEVADA AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Nev. (AFNS) --**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 Hercules** equipped with **Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System**.
The **152nd Airlift Wing** aircraft will replace the **153rd AW** out of the Wyoming ANG from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and join the **302nd AW**, **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, 192nd Airlift Wing commander. “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** headquartered at **Tyndall Air Force Base**, Florida, **U.S. Northern Command**’s Air Component Command, is the **Defense Department**’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.LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Nevada 



Air National Guard 



ANG 



wildfires 



National Interagency Fire Center 



Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems 



MAFFS 



C-130 



Hercules 



Air Force Reserve Command 



USDA 



Forest Service 



surge 



supporting the nation 



wildland firefighting

Related Links
        More about Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil