RENO, Nev. —
The National Interagency Fire Center has requested a C-130 aircraft and aircrew from the Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Airlift Wing to aid firefighting efforts in Colorado.
The aircraft, operating the U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, departed Reno yesterday for its initial deployment location at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
The 152nd Airlift Wing, known as the “High Rollers,” is one of four military C-130 units around the nation equipped with MAFFS for large-scale wild land firefighting.
The Reno unit will join two other military units in Colorado: the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing from Colorado Springs, Colo., and the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing.
The initial request lasts through July 12.
About a half dozen large wildfires have ravaged areas around the Centennial State this summer and burned more than 100 homes. The 152nd Airlift Wing, along with other MAFFS crews, could potentially be called for any of these fires.
Ready to Answer the Call
“The High Rollers always stand ready to answer the call for federal firefighting missions,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Steve Mills, 192nd Airlift Squadron commander and pilot with the 152nd Airlift Wing. “We've read in the news about the devastation from the fires in Colorado, and we're…
