PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE – The Department of Defense sent one Modular Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) C-130 to California Wednesday to fight numerous wildfires in the Golden state.
The Air Force announced it activated the 302nd Airlift Wing Wednesday for the second time in 2018. It was first activated to fight the Spring Fire in Huerfano and Costilla Counties.
The MAFFS are modified C-130 aircrafts designed to make large water drops on wildfires. The planes can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than five seconds and their tanks can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
The modified aircraft are housed at four military installations across the west in California, Nevada, Wyoming and at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
The giant 747 Global Supertanker, also based in Colorado Springs, is in California battling the Holy Fire.
