AF aerial firefighters continue to battle West Fork Complex fire

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stephen J. Collier
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Another 11,000 gallons of fire retardant was dropped on West Fork Complex fires by Air Force aerial firefighting aircraft June 26, aiding ground crews in containing the growing blazes.

Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve aircrews, flying their Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 Hercules, performed four drops on the southwestern Colorado fire area, releasing 11,800 gallons of fire retardant. This marks the second consecutive day of U.S. Forest Service-directed MAFFS support solely to the West Fork Complex.

According to USFS officials, the West Fork Complex fires, encompassing the Windy Pass, West Fork and Papoose fires, had slowed in growth to 81,331 acres. That fire area, which has been burning since June 5, is still reported at zero percent containment as of 10 a.m. June 27.

"It's very mountainous terrain over there," said Maj. Brian Hutten, a C-130J MAFFS aircraft commander with the California ANG's 146th Airlift Wing. "We were dropping indirect lines over steep terrain, laying fire lines for future burns. From what we saw, (ground crews) had a pretty good handle on it."

To date, MAFFS aircraft have performed 31 drops on the West Fork Complex, delivering 90,654 gallons.

Since MAFFS aircraft first provided support to the Black Forest fire June 12, more than 180,000 gallons of fire retardant have been dropped on Colorado wildfires. Both aircraft and Airmen from the Reserve's 302nd AW, and the 146th AW from the California ANG are providing MAFFS assistance to the USFS.

Hutten, a five-year veteran of the MAFFS mission, said aerial firefighting is "definitely a challenging, but rewarding mission.

"Every chance I get, I volunteer to be a part of MAFFS," Hutten said. "To be a part of the effort to save structures and lives is rewarding."

The MAFFS units are owned by the USFS, one of several federal and state government agencies and organizations, with roles and responsibilities in wildland fire suppression that comprise the National Interagency Fire Center based in Boise, Idaho.

MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, provides unique military support to firefighting efforts when requested by the NIFC and approved by the Secretary of Defense. These diverse mission assets are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to protect lives, property, critical infrastructure and natural resources. They can include, but are not limited to, MAFFS, military helicopters and ground forces capable of supporting the firefighting efforts.