From June 15 through June 19 California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, Nevada National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and CAL FIRE will be putting on quite an airshow for visitors to the Tahoe and Shasta/Trinity National Forests as these and other firefighting agencies train for aerial wildland firefighting.
The aircraft will fly out out of CAL FIRE’s McClellan Reload Base near Sacramento. The aircraft will be military C-130s outfitted with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). The aircraft are the instantly recognizable 4-engine turboprop Hercules that have been a mainstay of military transport since 1956. Originally designed by Lockheed, these awesome airplanes have been used by the military in various roles including transport, close air support, long-range search and rescue, and now … airtankers!
Equipped with the portable U.S. Forest Service MAFFS, the Hercules can drop 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile area. The whole system slides into the back of the aircraft with the release nozzle located on the left rear of the plane. We currently have eight of these MAFFS systems available
According to the U.S. Forest Service, “MAFFS are important because they provide a surge capability that can be used to boost wildfire suppression efforts when contracted airtankers are fully committed or not readily available. They can discharge their entire load of up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide, or make variable drops. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.”
“The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) program is a tremendous example of how the USDA Forest Service and other wildland fire agencies work cooperatively with the military,” said Kim Christensen, deputy assistant director for operations for the USDA Forest Service. “We conduct an annual training and certification exercise to ensure that MAFFS can be integrated into fire suppression operations in a safe, effective and seamless manner. It helps ensure our mutual preparedness.”
If you’re visiting the remote areas of the forest, you may get to see these low-flying Hercules as well as U.S. Forest Service lead planes practicing water drops throughout the week as the aircraft load water at McClellan and travel to drop zones on each forest for the practice runs.
Sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, the certification program includes classroom sessions, flight training and ground operations for the Air Force aircrews, civilian lead plane pilots, and support personnel. Participating agencies include the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management CAL FIRE, as well as other state and federal firefighting agencies.
“Training as a team is critical,” said Col. Jacob Hammons, 152nd Airlift Wing Commander. “We’re excited to join up with our civilian and military partners this week and prepare for another challenging wildfire season. When the time comes, we’re able to battle wildfires as one unified team because of this training we do together. It’s quite rewarding as Guardsmen and Reservists supporting our civilian emergency response agencies knowing we help make a difference caring for and protecting our citizens and their property.”