The Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing was activated July 13 to support wildland firefighting operations in the western United States, wing officials announced.
The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, requested four modular airborne firefighting system-capable C-130s from the War Department in response to increased wildfire activity across several western states.
The nation reached National Preparedness Level 4, the second-highest level, June 29, with significant fire activity in the Southwest, Great Basin, Rocky Mountain and Northwest geographic areas. Fire potential is expected to increase because of extremely dry fuels, excessive heat and forecasted dry lightning.
The wing is deploying two C-130 Hercules aircraft — one equipped with a modular airborne firefighting system and one support aircraft — along with approximately 20 airmen, including aircrews, maintenance personnel and support staff. Crews were operational and ready to receive launch orders yesterday. The activation is expected to last through Aug. 10.
The aircraft will initially operate from the San Bernardino Air Tanker Base in San Bernardino, California. A second staging location will be announced later.
"Our airmen train year-round alongside the U.S. Forest Service and our interagency partners for exactly this mission," said Air Force Col. Brian Diehl, 153rd Airlift Wing commander. "When the nation calls, the 153rd is ready to answer, and we are proud to stand with the firefighters working to protect lives, property and public lands across the West."
The modular airborne firefighting system is a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the Forest Service that can discharge up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The system slides into the cargo bay of a military C-130, and retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side of the aircraft.
Modular airborne firefighting system-equipped military aircraft provide a critical surge capability to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed or unavailable.
"This is one of the most visible and rewarding missions we perform," said Air Force Maj. Randi Carpenter, a navigator assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing serving as mission commander for the activation. "Our crews understand that every drop they make helps a firefighter on the ground, and they take that responsibility seriously."
Although flying gets the most attention, Air Force Master Sgt. Nathaniel Sobieski said a mission like this runs on the people behind the scenes: the maintainers, aerial porters and support airmen who keep that aircraft ready for every launch order.
"Fire season doesn't wait on maintenance, so our job is to make sure the airplane is always ready," said Sobieski, a crew chief assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing. "When it launches and helps protect a community, every one of us owns a piece of that."
The 153rd Airlift Wing is one of four military airlift wings that perform the Modular Airborne Firefighting System mission. The others are the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, the Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The units operate under the Modular Airborne Firefighting System Air Expeditionary Group when activated for wildland firefighting.
The National Interagency Fire Center serves as the nation's primary coordination center for wildland firefighting efforts, comprising eight key agencies and organizations, 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, National Association of State Foresters and various state emergency response agencies.