302 AW C-130 Takes Off to California for Aerial Firefighting Mission

The Air Force Reserve's 302d Airlift Wing at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, was activated by U.S. Northern Command on January 9, along with three Air National Guard units to provide aerial firefighting support in Southern California.

The 302 AW C-130H aircraft equipped with the U.S. Forest Service-owned Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) and associated wing personnel departed from Peterson SFB on January 11, 2025. They will be located and operate out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Port Hueneme, California.

The 302 AW is the only Air Force Reserve unit assigned to this special mission. A MAFFS unit can discharge water or fire retardant - 3,000 gallons weighing 27,000 pounds - in less than five seconds. The retardant can cover an area one-quarter of a mile long and 100 feet wide. After the plane discharges its load, it can be refilled at the tanker base in less than 12 minutes.