Air Force firefighting operations conclude in Texas

  • Published
  • By Tom Saunders
  • Air Forces Northern Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  After performing 81 sorties and dropping 243,000 gallons of fire retardant over the wildfires that have been burning in South and West Texas, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel and their Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped aircraft headed home May 6.

Officials from the National Interagency Fire Center released the units May 5, concluding the Air Force Reserve and Guard support of Texas firefighting efforts that have been ongoing since specially-equipped C-130 Hercules began dropping retardant April 17.

Under the direction of the Joint Forces Air Component commander for Air Forces Northern at Tyndall Air Force Base, four C-130s, equipped with firefighting capabilities, deployed to Dyess AFB, Texas, as part of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, to help douse the wildfires that plagued Texas since January 1.

"The men and women who make up the 302nd AEG are extremely proud of the support they provided to the ground crews' firefighting efforts," said Col. Jay Pittman, the 302nd AEG commander. "MAFFS enabled significant progress in suppressing the fires allowing the citizens of Texas begin recovery. We will continue to stay trained, equipped and ready to render support when tasked in the future."

The MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system which 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 60 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

The system is owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, one of several federal and state government agencies and organizations with roles and responsibilities in wildland fire suppression that make up the NIFC in Boise, Idaho. The Department of Defense flew at the request of NIFC.

AFNORTH is the air component for U.S. Northern Command, and when tasked, provides support to local, state, tribal, regional and federal emergency service agencies.