For Release: April 10, 2023 Media Contacts:

 NIFC: Stanton Florea, 208-387-5437 

 stanton.florea@usda.gov

 AFNORTH: Lt Col Karen Roganov, 850-774-1044

 afnorth.pa@us.af.mil

Aerial wildland fire training taking place this week at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station

Boise, Idaho - The USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal wildland fire

agencies will conduct annual training for Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) personnel at 

Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, April 11-15. The training is being hosted by 

the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing. 

The training will include four military C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 

153rd Airlift Wing and the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing. The training includes 

classroom sessions, flying and ground operations for Air Force aircrews, civilian lead plane pilots and 

support personnel from the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, other federal and CAL 

FIRE.

The training session is one of two this spring for the MAFFS program. The California Air National 

Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, 

Colo., will participate in the same recertification training at Channel Islands ANG Station May 8-12.

The eight C-130 Hercules aircraft that are part of the program are equipped with the USDA Forest 

Service’s MAFFS, which 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. MAFFS aircraft can be activated to provide a critical “surge” capability to 

help slow or stop the spread of wildland fires. MAFFS aircraft are only activated when all commercial 

airtankers that are part of the national airtanker fleet are fully committed or not readily available.

As part of the training in Southern California, practice water drops will be conducted on some remote 

portions of the Angeles National Forest. Residents and visitors in those areas may see low-flying C-130 

aircraft and smaller lead planes throughout the week.

Note to news media: An opportunity to interview personnel and observe the training, including a practice 
water drop, will take place at Channel Islands ANG Station on Thursday, April 14. If interested, please 

RSVP to Nicholas Carzis, 146th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, at 805-986-7420. 

For more information on the MAFFS program, visit: www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/planes/maffs

For background photos and videos of the program, visit: www.dvidshub.net/feature/MAFFSAEG

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The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), located in Boise, Idaho, is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. 

Nine different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC including, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land 

Management, Department of Defense, U.S. Fire Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, 

National Association of State Foresters, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Park Service.