Story by Senior Airman Michelle Brooks

I had the opportunity to interview Lisa Allen, a lead plane pilot with the Bureau of Land Management’s National Aviation Office, about the role of a lead plane pilot during wildland fire suppression missions.

Q. What is the role of a lead plane pilot?
A: The role of a lead plane pilot is to increase the safety margin for the air tankers and helicopters fighting the fires. We do that through flying a more nimble aircraft and being on-scene throughout the mission, so that we can observe the conditions as they change. We find the firelines, we search out all the hazards, we scout the exit routes and we coordinate the air space. Safety is our main goal. Our secondary goal is efficiency and effectiveness. We help the tankers get on to the line and coordinate the resources so we’re using them efficiently and effectively.

Q. How long have you been a lead plane pilot?
A: I was signed off in 2019. I started officially training as a lead plane pilot in 2018. This will be my fourth season.

Q. As far as the training aspect, are you giving feedback to the air tankers on their drops?
A: Yes. I try to always make a left-hand turn so that I can see the drop point easier. Once I come off the run I watch the retardant fall. We evaluate the start point, if we’re trying to tie into something, or the end point, if we’re trying to roll up to something. Also, we evaluate the direction of the line—how much it drifted one way or the other if we had a crosswind—the angles of the line. We try to give them honest feedback. The pilots are using all their knowledge, their previous experience, and all that culminates to them pushing the button. They’re always judging and trying to figure out, “Did I push that button in the right place?” or, “Did I put my airplane in the right place?” If we sugar coat the drop, we’re not helping. We’ll say things like, “that was a half a load late,” or, “a wingspan to the left,” or, “you were off on the heading by ten degrees.” Things like that.

Q. What risks are involved in this type of low-level flying with an air tanker?
A: One of the principles we learn is to always have an exit and never take a loaded aircraft where you can’t get it out of. Sometimes we can’t drop retardant because there’s just not a good exit—it isn’t safe. The exit is probably the most important part of the drop and the easiest to forget about. A big part of my job is scouting the exit. I also have to be constantly looking for wires, towers, and where there is lower terrain. If, for some reason, either I lose an engine or if the tankers lose an engine and they can’t get rid of a load, where are the hazards they’ll need to avoid?

Q. What is the role of the lead plane when helicopters are being used?
A: We sequence the helicopters in between the tanker drops. So, we find out where they’re going to be dropping and where they’re getting their water from – or, if it’s a recon helicopter, for logistics, we find out where they’re coming from and where they’re going to. Then, we create checkpoints and routes to clear the flight paths of different aircraft away from one another.

Q. What is the most unique aspect of your job?
A: To me, it’s super unique, in that one second you’re sitting here in Boise, like today, and dispatch could call and say, “Hey, we’re sending over a resource order.” We print out a piece of paper and it’s got the name of the fire, its coordinates, and frequencies—and we get in the plane and go. It could be from here to SoCal. It could be all the way to Florida. I go all over the place. I also get to fly a King Air, which was not designed to fly in the environment we fly in, it was made as a commuter jet, so that’s interesting. I get to go work with DC-10s, MD-87s, air tractors, C-130s, all kinds of different helicopters, in a very tight airspace—it’s all in a different changing environment–and I get to use my airplane to help.

Lisa Allen, a lead plane pilot with the Bureau of Land Management’s National Aviation Office, provided training and support for U.S. Air National Guard and Reserve MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules H- and J-models during annual spring training and certification held at Gowen Field, Idaho April 25-30, 2022. Military flight crews spent the week training with their civilian counterparts in preparation for the upcoming wildland firefighting season. All MAFFS units are requested through the commander of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to provide support to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in conducting wildland fire fighting operations within the United States. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), USNORTHCOM’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts.

Story by Staff Sgt. Matthew Greiner

GOWEN FIELD, Idaho –

Less than two years after the most devastating firefighting season in the United States, the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) spring training took place at Gowen Field, Idaho, April 25-29, 2022.

Since 1974, the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Defense have operated under the joint program using the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, more commonly known as MAFFS, which is employed by rolling into the back of a military C-130 aircraft.

MAFFS is activated by the Forest Service to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when all commercial air tankers are fully committed or not readily available. This is through an agreement between the USDA, Forest Service and the Department of Defense. MAFFS can also be activated for use on state fires by the Governors of the states where the Air National Guard flight crews are based.

“Spring training is where we knock off the cobwebs,” said Chief Master Sgt. Cameron Pieters, flight engineer assigned to the 152nd Operations Group. “We haven’t flown any aerial firefighting since last season and this is to prepare us and get us ready for the upcoming fire season.”

During this year’s spring training, MAFFS equipped military C-130s flew a total of 149 sorties, 184.52 hours, disbursing of a total of 433,065 gallons of water in 902 drops across multiple drop zones around the Boise and Gowen Field area.

“We are grateful for the community support provided by the people near Gowen Field, Idaho as our flight and aircraft ground crew members accomplished intense and vital wildfire training to be ready for the nation’s needs,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern. “I’m also proud of the dedication and teamwork of the military joint force and interagency team.”

The four military MAFFS units include: the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard; the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard; the 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard and the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Each MAFFS unit has two C-130s identified by a big orange number on every side of the C-130 aircraft and on its tail. Respectively, the Nevada Air National Guard has tails 8 and 9; Wyoming Air National Guard has tails 1 and 3; California Air National Guard has tails 4 and 6; and the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve has numbers 2 and 5.

“This is a huge joint operation and in order for us to be successful, it takes a lot of relationship building,” said Maj. Alex Kassebaum, 192nd Airlift Squadron Director of Operations.

The agencies involved with the training included the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Forest Service, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), the Bureau of Land Management and CAL FIRE.

Spring training is an opportunity for the air and ground crews to refine and sharpen their skills to operate as an effective team, as well as to train and certify new members of the team.

“It’s about getting into the right mindset,” said Pieters. “As a flight engineer it’s our responsibility to support the pilots, we go through the checklists, we monitor all the systems. Having good communication with the other crew members ensures we have a safe flight.”

“Last season was a big firefighting season for us,” said Pieters. “We were deployed for 96 days and as a MAFFS community, we dropped nearly 23 million pounds of fire retardant.”

Approximately 70,000 wildfires burn an average of about 6.5 million acres of land in the United States each year. Airtankers are used to drop fire retardant to reduce the intensity and slow the growth of wildfires so that firefighters on the ground can build containment lines around them. Airtankers are not typically used to drop fire retardant to suppress wildfires directly.

In the event of activation during the fire year, First Air Force (AFNORTH), U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts to support USDA Forest Service-National Interagency Fire Center requests for fire suppression support.

Story by Staff Sgt. Matthew Greiner

GOWEN FIELD, Idaho —

The Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Operations Group upgraded four pilots to aircraft commanders certified on the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) here, April 25 – 30.

“We have four MAFFS aircraft commanders,” said Maj. Alex Kassebaum, 192nd Airlift Squadron Director of Operations. “We’re the new kids on the block in MAFFS — it takes about five years to train and certify an aircraft commander.”

The additional four MAFFS aircraft commanders will double the current number of certified pilots on the roster. This change will increase the effectiveness of scheduling, mitigate burnout fatigue and make things safer for the aircrews, Kassebaum said.

“These four additional aircraft pilots will give us great flexibility when it comes to deploying during the MAFFS season,” said Capt. Dylan Weber, the Air Expeditionary Group’s (AEG) MAFFS Scheduler, 152nd Operations Group. “Aircrew fatigue occurs when they are deployed for long periods of time, having more people trained reduces the load on everyone.”

“When we go to a fire we’re out there for a week to 12 days at a time before anybody gets a break, Kassebaum said. “By doubling the number of MAFFS aircraft commanders, we’re giving ourselves more bodies to rotate and alleviating the risk of burnout.”

Having more pilots to cycle through the fire season will lead to safer mission, he said.

To go from four to eight required several aircraft commanders to be upgraded to instructors.

The path to MAFFS aircraft commander starts in the right seat as a MAFFS co-pilot and they must meet the minimum requirements before they can be considered for a MAFFS aircraft commander.

Master Sgt. Rita Middleton, 152nd Airlift Wing MAFFS AEG Senior Enlisted Leader said before becoming a MAFFS aircraft commander, a co-pilot must have: two seasons flying as a MAFFS co-pilot; minimum of 1,800 hours in a C-130; minimum of 15 total drops; and a minimum of two MAFFS deployments.

“A MAFFS aircraft commander oversees a crew of six people, the aircraft, and ensures the plane gets to the fire area to drop 3,000 gallons of retardant on a designated area determined by a lead pilot,” Kassebaum said.

“We pick the most experienced pilots in the squadron for the MAFFS aircraft commander positions,” Kassebaum said. “Often times they already are aircraft commanders, instructor pilots of the C-130 aircraft, who are selected to sit in the right seat. It takes approximately five years to develop a co-pilot to get them ready to be in the left seat.”

To sit in the MAFFS aircraft commander left seat requires years of experience. In addition to the checklist of requirements, a MAFFS co-pilot must be evaluated again during an active MAFFS mission.

“Even after their training is complete, we still have them fly with an instructor pilot on live fires prior to officially signing them off to fly with a basic co-pilot,” Kassebaum said.

“I love being a part of MAFFS, it’s very rewarding,” Kassebaum said. “I’ve been in the military for 24 years now. This is one of the few missions, you get a call, one week later you’re making a direct impact, and you’re seeing the difference in a community.”

Story by Staff Sgt. Michelle Ulber

CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Port Hueneme, Calif.—

Finalizing construction for a massive air-tanker base upgrade, the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing (146 AW) completed the installation of four new fire retardant ground storage tanks in March. Vastly improving the wing’s partnered aerial firefighting mission’s capabilities with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (Forest Service) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for the aerial fire fighting program, known as MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System).

With the installation of the permanent ground tanks known as “MAFFS pits,” aerial firefighting agencies can now capitalize on the added benefits they provide, increasing the surge capabilities for all wildfire suppression agencies inside Southern California.

Previous legacy tanks at the 146 AW required the ground crews to stop producing retardant at 10,000 gallons. However, the newly upgraded MAFFS pits can expect to extinguish this issue when the wing finally showcases the fire retardant ground storage tank’s increased capabilities just in time for the next fire season. Another added capability of these upgraded MAFFS pits is the ability to provide fire retardant for Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), a valued upgrade that will eliminate potential delays in reloading fire retardant for all aircraft involved.
Previously, the capacity with the older tanks could only allow for up to three fire retardant reloads before there would be a significant delay due to the ground crews having to mix more retardant. According to U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Andrew Miller, an eight year MAFFS pilot with the 115th Airlift Squadron, the new tank’s storage size upgrade is a significant and exponentially larger storage size compared to the old system.

Miller, says he’s excited about the ground tanks’ increased storage capability and the significance of the tanker’s strategic location within Southern California, stating it’s a culmination of a true team effort with significant contributions from many members in the wing dating back to 2014.

“We will now have a much larger and faster capability to deliver retardant to the local area, as the ground tank size has increased five-fold from a 10,000-gallon capacity to 50,000-gallons. Beyond the volume increase, another added benefit is the new tanks are enclosed which means they can now have retardant on hand when the fires begin. One of the massive tanks uses circulating pumps to mix the water and powder, and the additional 25,000 gallon tank provides storage capabilities for the retardant, and has a built in buffer capability during high demand. Enclosed tanks also mean the retardant in the tanks can be stored for an extended period of time. They can provide the capability to deliver retardant even before the base is fully activated for operations,” said Miller.

“There are few tanker bases available in the Southern California region with the capability to support large-scale aerial firefighting. This meant that some reloading times for the MAFFS pits saw extensive delays. As a result, the MAFFS community saw a need for a more robust reload capability and came together to create a solution. Channel Islands Air National Guard Station was selected because of its strategic location and unique capability of filling in the void in this region. Channel Islands Airtanker Base is now the first Air National Guard base with a permanent tank capacity of over 10,000 gallons,” said Miller.

MAFFS is utilized as a surge capability for the Forest Service or CAL FIRE when commercial aerial firefighter units are unavailable. The 146 AW, Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and other Department of Defense MAFFS wings have all actively shared a strong partnership together. Through all of their combined efforts, they have forged many years of time-trusted, joint wildfire suppression operations dating back to the early 1970s.

These partnerships operate on a few principled factors, with each organization bringing valuable resources to the MAFFS mission. For example, the U.S. Forest Service, which owns the MAFFS units, provides the retrofitted system and purchases the retardant. Meanwhile, the DoD provides the C-130 aircraft, flight crews, maintenance, and support personnel to fly the missions. State wildfire agencies such as CAL FIRE also plays a large part in state activations as well, providing critical tanker base support that work in unison with the rest of the MAFFS community. An additional voice for the MAFFS community and deputy assistant director for fire and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service Kim Christensen says that the newly constructed MAFFS pits could ease logistic hurdles and improve the efficiency during a home station activation.

“We recognize the commitment the 146th Airlift Wing has made to the MAFFS program by making permanent modifications to their C-130 fleet to provide more efficient retardant deliveries when we need them the most. In the past several years, we have become increasingly more reliant on the surge capability of the MAFFS program, and these modifications will help us more efficiently support suppression efforts on the ground,” said Christensen.

“If the decision is made to activate the 146 Airlift Wing’s MAFFS, the Forest Service may request them to activate and support incidents from their home station. The agency can often reduce logistics and recognize efficiencies with a home station activation, and the permanent retardant pits at Channel Islands allow us to better support this,” said Christensen.

Mr. Ron Skaggs, a programs and integration requirements division chief for the National Guard Bureau with direct oversight of MAFFS pit project at Channel Islands says The National Guard’s investment in funding of the MAFFS pits has enriched both domestic and military operations efforts for the better.

“The fixed base pit project at the 146th Airlift Wing is a game changer for the wildland fire fighting community, not only for our Guard Airmen who are involved with the MAFFS mission, but also to our valued partners in the Forestry Service. By using the National Guard funding, the 146th was able to stream line the acquisition, installation, and operation of this important firefighting system,” said Skaggs.

“The new system is already online and ready to provide critical loading operations of fire retardant to firefighting aircrews in a safer, faster, and more precise manner. Air National Guard dollars have once again proven critical to our ability to procure good equipment for our Guard members, not only for our war fighting mission, but also for our Domestic Operations efforts here in the homeland,” Said Skaggs.

With 2022’s annual MAFFS training scheduled to begin on April 25th, the 146th Airlift Wing will join the 152nd Airlift Wing, the 153rd Airlift Wing, and the 302nd Airlift Wing in Boise as they prepare to sharpen their skills for the next fire season.

The Nevada Air National Guard Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) crews finished up their 89-day MAFFS activation Sept. 22, 2021. They flew a total of 330 sorties and dropped 8,181,017 pounds of retardant (912,042 gallons). This was 36 percent of the total gallons dropped from the four-unit (8 aircraft) Air Expeditionary Group during this fire year. The remaining units finished their 96-day activation on Sept. 29.

“The Nevada Guard surpassed expectations this year,” said Col Gary Monroe, AFNORTH’s MAFFS 153rd Air Expeditionary Commander. “They were only anticipated to support for 60 days and they hung in there for 89 of the 96 days while providing solid maintenance for the aircraft and having aircrew with positive outlooks ready to go on a moment’s notice. They made a full 1/3 of the retardant drops and all this while getting ready for an upcoming deployment. Having eight aircraft available to NIFC for drops was possible because of the High Rollers.”

“The High Rollers once again remained dedicated toward the preservation of life and property,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern. “The unit flew under challenging conditions while being away from home about 25 percent of the year. I’m proud of their efforts and we are grateful to support the interagency team.”

The year 2021 marks the 49th year for the MAFFS program, and it was the second busiest MAFFS activation in those 49 years of the C-130 military aircraft supporting the United States Forest Service. It was a notable season for all MAFFS crews including the High Rollers from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nevada; the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, Calif.; Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.; and the Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“Our involvement in MAFFS this year, although was very busy, was quite satisfying to be such a huge part in getting these fires under control,” said Lt. Col. Michael Fugett, the 192nd Airlift Squadron commander. “I am so proud to have this rewarding mission, and have the chance to help our homeland and our fellow Americans.”

The initial activation of MAFFS-equipped military aircraft occurred on June 25, a month earlier than in 2020 and the earliest activation of MAFFS-equipped aircraft in a decade.

“The USDA Forest Service and other federal wildland fire agencies appreciate the continued military support through the MAFFS program,” said Kim Christensen, Deputy Assistant Director for Operations for the USDA Forest Service. “They provide a valuable contribution to our wildland firefighting efforts and we’re proud to have them working alongside us. We also appreciate their focus on safety in all aspects of their operations.”

MAFFS, Modular Airborne Firefighting System, is essentially a storage tank loaded inside the C-130 so it can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant through the rear aircraft nozzle in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The MAFFS’s belong to the Forest Service while the aircraft are Air Force owned. Aircrews, maintenance crews and support personnel undergo special NIFC training and certification to perform these missions each year.

“The MAFFS mission is unique in that we work with civilian agencies to do a domestic mission at home,” said Lt. Col. Todd Hudson, a mission commander for the 152nd Airlift Wing MAFFS crew. “Normally—when we’re deployed, we work for the Air Force–in this case, we are working with local United States Forest Service and CAL Fire, we’re working directly with firefighters on the ground and in the air above making a difference protecting areas often times right here in our own area.”

All MAFFS units are requested through the commander of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to provide support to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in conducting wildland fire fighting operations within the United States. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), USNORTHCOM’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts.

The C-130s were operated out of McClellan Air Tanker Reload Base in Sacramento and the tanker base in Redding, Calif. From there, they assisted federal and private firefighting assets around the region as they were needed.

This mission is intense but satisfying for the Airmen involved.

“We’re on a 2-week rotation here and the biggest challenge is the long days, we’ve had quite a few 16-hour days,” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Goldsworthy, from the Guidance and Control Shop in the 152nd Maintenance Squadron. “We don’t really have any days off, fires don’t really take days off. By the time we’re fixing planes usually the sun’s going down. The mission is quite fulfilling though, I’ve deployed and supported a ton of training missions and with the MAFFS mission you come out here and you feel like you’re actually making a difference in people’s lives–fighting wildfires and saving houses, it really makes you feel good.”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center as of October 8, “46,925 fires have burned 6,423,804–there are still 45 active large fires burning in 9 states burning 2,826,806 acres. Large fire activity is beginning to moderate throughout the country except for the northern Rockies and southern California. Widespread moisture is expected in the next few days across the West, which will help firefighters reach their containment goals. One new large fire was reported in Idaho. The majority of large fire activity is occurring in California, Idaho, and Montana.”

Seeing the difference made in people’s lives is rewarding to the High Rollers involved.

“A couple years ago we were making drops on a small town in northern California–so small that they don’t have their own mailboxes,” Hudson continued, “They have a community post office, so the citizens took pictures of MAFFS units dropping right in their back yards and they blew up some of the photos and made a collage and hung it in the post office and then as people came to get their mail, they would sign the poster–they brought that poster to us and gave it to us as a ‘thank you’ for saving their homes. That is feedback that you do not get from any sort of deployment—and it is very very rewarding and that’s how you know you made a difference.”

“This is my 28th year and I have been on deployments all over the world to several continents, and we feel great because we know we have worked hard and we know we’ve made a difference but it’s hard to see the tangible difference, it might not come for 5 years or something, depending on the conflict,” said Hudson, “In this case, when we go and build a line of protective retardant around a house and the next day when we come back and we see that the fire has gone by and that house is still there, then we know we made a difference that day.”

If additional MAFFS support is required this season, the crews and planes can be activated within 48 hours.

The Nevada Air National Guard Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) crews finished up their 89-day MAFFS activation Sept. 22, 2021. They flew a total of 330 sorties and dropped 8,181,017 pounds of retardant (912,042 gallons). This was 36 percent of the total gallons dropped from the four-unit (8 aircraft) Air Expeditionary Group during this fire year. The remaining units finished their 96-day activation on Sept. 29.

“The Nevada Guard surpassed expectations this year,” said Col Gary Monroe, AFNORTH’s MAFFS 153rd Air Expeditionary Commander. “They were only anticipated to support for 60 days and they hung in there for 89 of the 96 days while providing solid maintenance for the aircraft and having aircrew with positive outlooks ready to go on a moment’s notice. They made a full 1/3 of the retardant drops and all this while getting ready for an upcoming deployment. Having eight aircraft available to NIFC for drops was possible because of the High Rollers.”

“The High Rollers once again remained dedicated toward the preservation of life and property,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern. “The unit flew under challenging conditions while being away from home about 25 percent of the year. I’m proud of their efforts and we are grateful to support the interagency team.”

The year 2021 marks the 49th year for the MAFFS program, and it was the second busiest MAFFS activation in those 49 years of the C-130 military aircraft supporting the United States Forest Service. It was a notable season for all MAFFS crews including the High Rollers from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nevada; the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, Calif.; Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.; and the Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“Our involvement in MAFFS this year, although was very busy, was quite satisfying to be such a huge part in getting these fires under control,” said Lt. Col. Michael Fugett, the 192nd Airlift Squadron commander. “I am so proud to have this rewarding mission, and have the chance to help our homeland and our fellow Americans.”

The initial activation of MAFFS-equipped military aircraft occurred on June 25, a month earlier than in 2020 and the earliest activation of MAFFS-equipped aircraft in a decade.

“The USDA Forest Service and other federal wildland fire agencies appreciate the continued military support through the MAFFS program,” said Kim Christensen, Deputy Assistant Director for Operations for the USDA Forest Service. “They provide a valuable contribution to our wildland firefighting efforts and we’re proud to have them working alongside us. We also appreciate their focus on safety in all aspects of their operations.”

MAFFS, Modular Airborne Firefighting System, is essentially a storage tank loaded inside the C-130 so it can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant through the rear aircraft nozzle in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The MAFFS’s belong to the Forest Service while the aircraft are Air Force owned. Aircrews, maintenance crews and support personnel undergo special NIFC training and certification to perform these missions each year.

“The MAFFS mission is unique in that we work with civilian agencies to do a domestic mission at home,” said Lt. Col. Todd Hudson, a mission commander for the 152nd Airlift Wing MAFFS crew. “Normally—when we’re deployed, we work for the Air Force–in this case, we are working with local United States Forest Service and CAL Fire, we’re working directly with firefighters on the ground and in the air above making a difference protecting areas often times right here in our own area.”

All MAFFS units are requested through the commander of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to provide support to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in conducting wildland fire fighting operations within the United States. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), USNORTHCOM’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts.

The C-130s were operated out of McClellan Air Tanker Reload Base in Sacramento and the tanker base in Redding, Calif. From there, they assisted federal and private firefighting assets around the region as they were needed.

This mission is intense but satisfying for the Airmen involved.

“We’re on a 2-week rotation here and the biggest challenge is the long days, we’ve had quite a few 16-hour days,” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Goldsworthy, from the Guidance and Control Shop in the 152nd Maintenance Squadron. “We don’t really have any days off, fires don’t really take days off. By the time we’re fixing planes usually the sun’s going down. The mission is quite fulfilling though, I’ve deployed and supported a ton of training missions and with the MAFFS mission you come out here and you feel like you’re actually making a difference in people’s lives–fighting wildfires and saving houses, it really makes you feel good.”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center as of October 8, “46,925 fires have burned 6,423,804–there are still 45 active large fires burning in 9 states burning 2,826,806 acres. Large fire activity is beginning to moderate throughout the country except for the northern Rockies and southern California. Widespread moisture is expected in the next few days across the West, which will help firefighters reach their containment goals. One new large fire was reported in Idaho. The majority of large fire activity is occurring in California, Idaho, and Montana.”

Seeing the difference made in people’s lives is rewarding to the High Rollers involved.

“A couple years ago we were making drops on a small town in northern California–so small that they don’t have their own mailboxes,” Hudson continued, “They have a community post office, so the citizens took pictures of MAFFS units dropping right in their back yards and they blew up some of the photos and made a collage and hung it in the post office and then as people came to get their mail, they would sign the poster–they brought that poster to us and gave it to us as a ‘thank you’ for saving their homes. That is feedback that you do not get from any sort of deployment—and it is very very rewarding and that’s how you know you made a difference.”

“This is my 28th year and I have been on deployments all over the world to several continents, and we feel great because we know we have worked hard and we know we’ve made a difference but it’s hard to see the tangible difference, it might not come for 5 years or something, depending on the conflict,” said Hudson, “In this case, when we go and build a line of protective retardant around a house and the next day when we come back and we see that the fire has gone by and that house is still there, then we know we made a difference that day.”

If additional MAFFS support is required this season, the crews and planes can be activated within 48 hours.

With a mix of favorable weather conditions in the western U.S. reducing wildfire activity and the increased availability of commercial airtankers, the USDA Forest Service released the final four U.S Air Force C-130 Modular Aircraft Firefighting System-equipped C-130 aircraft Sept. 29 marking the end of a 96-day support effort.

“The USDA Forest Service and other federal wildland fire agencies appreciate the continued military support through the MAFFS program, said Kim Christensen, Deputy Assistant Director for Operations for the USDA Forest Service. “They provide a valuable contribution to our wildland firefighting efforts and we’re proud to have them working alongside us. We also appreciate their focus on safety in all aspects of their operations.”

The year 2021 marks the 49th year for the MAFFS program, and it was a notable season for the MAFFS crews from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nevada; the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, Calif.; Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.; and the Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“This was an exceptional year that saw each unit contribute to a highly successful interagency firefighting effort to date,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, Air Forces Northern. “The sustained effort demonstrated the commitment and professionalism of the MAFFS teams. We appreciate the efforts of each Airman and want to thank their families as well, for supporting our Airmen in their relief efforts.”

First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts. USNORTHCOM’s priorities are homeland defense, mission assurance, force protection and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), the latter of which includes wildland firefighting.

Not since 2012 had all eight aircraft been activated at the same time. During this year’s 96-day MAFFS activation, aircrews flew 945 sorties, dropping 2,583,204 gallons of fire retardant, the second-highest tally ever, next to 1994’s fire season that established records in all categories.

Additionally, aircrews conducted 929 drops, the third highest season tally, and 940.6 total flying hours, for the fourth-highest number.

The initial activation of MAFFS-equipped military aircraft occurred on June 25, a month earlier than in 2020 and the earliest activation of MAFFS-equipped aircraft in a decade.

The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) made the decision to activate MAFFS in accordance with the DoD-USDA-DOI Agreement. With respect to the national situation, NMAC determines when, where, and how many MAFFS are needed.

“The availability of commercial airtankers enabled us to release the MAFFS back to their home stations, allowing them to resume priority work in their primary Department of Defense mission,” said Christensen.

When needed, the MAFFS C-130 units and crews essentially convert the C-130s into airtankers that provide a critical “surge” capability during the height of fire season. The C-130 aircraft are equipped with the U.S. 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.

If additional MAFFS support is required this season, the crews and planes can be activated within 48 hours.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. —

“It is shaping up to be a very challenging fire season,” said Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) commander. “The AFNORTH team is honored to support our Air Expeditionary Group comprised of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130 crews committed to fight the especially devastating fires out west.”

Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) C-130 air tankers from Colorado Air Force Reserves’ 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, and the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd AW in Cheyenne, are scheduled to join crews from the California Air National Guard’s 146th AW based out or Channel Islands Air Guard Station in Oxnard, and the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd AW from Reno, which has two aircraft in the mission.

MAFFS, Modular Airborne Firefighting System, is essentially a storage tank loaded inside the C-130 so it can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant through the rear aircraft nozzle in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The MAFFS’s belong to the Forest Service while the aircraft are Air Force owned.

Since activating June 26, the MAFFS mission has flown 225 sorties resulting in 199 drops dispensing over 5 million pounds of flame retardant.

“We feel for those affected and have our top Airmen giving their best efforts to help suppress the wildfires,” added Pierce.

First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), as U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts. USNORTHCOM’s priorities are homeland defense, mission assurance, force protection and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), the latter of which includes wildland firefighting.

NIFC is the nation’s support center for wildland fire fighting. Eight different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC including 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, and the National Association of State Foresters.

For photos and videos of the MAFFS program, visit: www.dvidshub.net/feature/MAFFSAEG. For more information on Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/planes/maffs

The Nevada Air National Guard’s participation in the MAFFS mission this year has been extended to Aug. 26 at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). There will also be two additional C-130 aircraft and aircrew added to the mission for a total of five military C-130 aircraft activated.

The additional aircraft–one from the Wyoming Air National Guard and the other from the Air Force Reserve in Colorado–will arrive July 20.

“The request for additional support shows just how challenging this fire season is and how critical our MAFFS aircraft, aircrews and maintenance personnel are to supporting NIFC,” said Col. Jeremy Ford, 152nd Airlift Wing Commander. “These Airmen are dedicated to fighting these wildfires in order to protect and save lives and property of communities from the local area to multiple regional states.”

The Air Force C-130 aircraft assigned to units in California, Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming are capable of dropping fire retardant using U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting (MAFFS) equipped aircraft.
Aircrews, maintenance crews and support personnel undergo special NIFC training and certification to perform these missions each year.

The 152nd Airlift Wing has two aircraft assisting along with the California Air National Guard. The California unit will continue assisting with one aircraft.

Since activating June 26, the Reno unit amassed 141 sorties, dispensing 388,766 gallons totaling over 3.4 million pounds of retardant dropped on various fires throughout the West. The California Air National Guard’s planes have flown 64 sorties, dispensing 170,322 gallons adding up to nearly 1.5 million pounds of retardant. Both units have helped out with 11 different fires in Northern California.

All MAFFS units are requested through the commander of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to provide support to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in conducting wildland fire fighting operations within the United States. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), USNORTHCOM’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts.

The initial request for support was June 26 through July 26, more than a month earlier than last year’s firefighting season. The 152nd Airlift Wing supported NIFC July 29 through Oct. 3, 2020, the longest firefighting activation in the unit’s history.

The C-130s are operating from McClellan Air Tanker Reload Base in Sacramento, California. From there, they assist federal and private firefighting assets around the region as needed.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center as of July 20, 83 large fires have burned 1,293,636 acres across 13 states. More than 19,300 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to the incidents.

The MAFFS program is a joint effort between the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Defense (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 National Interagency Fire Center has requested one C-130 aircraft and aircrew from the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, to aid firefighting efforts around the western U.S.

“This activation highlights the important role the military plays in assisting federal, civilian firefighting efforts, especially with that need coming much earlier this year than past years to combat increased fire activity across the American West,” said Col. Jeremy Ford, 152nd Airlift Wing commander. “The 152nd Airlift Wing embraces this incredibly vital domestic operations mission and our ability to help save life and property threatened by wildland fires.”

The initial request lasts through July 26. The 152nd Airlift Wing activated last firefighting season on July 29. That activation lasted through Oct. 3, the longest firefighting activation in the unit’s history. However, even with last year’s extended firefighting season, this season’s first activation for the unit arrives more than a month earlier than in 2020.

The aircraft, operating the USDA Forest Service’s Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, will depart Reno this Saturday for its initial deployment location at CAL FIRE’s McClellan Reload Base in Sacramento, California. From there, they will assist federal and private firefighting assets around the region as needed.

Given the military’s non-compete clause with private industry, contracted air tankers receive first request for largescale, wildland firefighting. Military units have provided a surge capacity with MAFFS since 1974, but are only activated after private contracted assets are exhausted and the forest service deems additional support is necessary.

The 152nd Airlift Wing, known as the High Rollers, is one of four military C-130 units around the nation equipped with MAFFS for largescale wildland firefighting. The Reno unit will join the 146th Airlift Wing out of Channel Islands, Calif. for firefighting efforts in the region.

Fire managers from federal, state, tribal and local agencies continue to prepare for wildland firefighting activity. So far, 50 largescale wildland fires have burned 543,099 acres in 11 states, the National Interagency Firefighting Center reported this week. New large fires were reported in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada. More than 9,180 wildland firefighters and 17 Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams are assigned to incidents, according to NIFC.

So far this year there have been 29,362 fires reported burning 1,164,555 acres across the nation, NIFC said.

MAFFS equipment, loaded into the cargo compartment of a C-130 aircraft, can drop up to 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in six seconds through a nozzle on the rear left side of the plane. The U.S. Forest Service owns MAFFS equipment and supplies retardant, while each of the four military units provide C-130 aircraft, maintenance, support personnel and flight crews to fly the missions.

The 152nd Airlift Wing recently became the first “combat coded” guard unit in the nation to upgrade their entire C-130 fleet with the NP-2000 propeller modification. This modification swapped out four-bladed propellers with eight-bladed modular NP-2000 propellers. This increased performance and flying capabilities of the whole fleet, adding throttle responsiveness and reliability to each of the C-130s in the 152nd Airlift Wing’s fleet.

“This is especially important for the extremely challenging MAFFS mission, while flying in extreme hazards including flying low slow and heavy while dropping water or retardant,” Ford said.