FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Right: An Oregon Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter returns to the Madras Airport after successfully dumping water on a target area in the Logging Unit fire west of Madras, Ore., July 20, 2014. Two CH-47 Chinook helicopters and two HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters of the Oregon Army National Guard arrived at the Madras Airport the day before to assist local authorities in suppressing the wildfire west of Madras. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Van Mourik
Guardsmen Help to Battle Northwest Blazes
By Army Staff Sgt. Darron Salzer and Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau
ARLINGTON, Va., July 22, 2014 – Aircrews from the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, who fly C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, are among the latest National Guard members to join in the response to wildfires in Oregon and Washington state.
The aircrews from the 153rd AW join Guard members from four states in assisting state and local authorities with quelling wildfires raging since lightning strikes ignited the blazes July 14. This also marks the first activation of MAFFS aircraft in the 2014 wildfire season.
“We’ve been activated to ensure the [U.S.] Forest Service has enough aerial assets to fight fires in Oregon, Washington and other regional states,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Davis, commander of the Wyoming Air Guard’s 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
The crews from the 153rd AW flew to Idaho from their home station in Wyoming to Gowen Field, near Boise, where they will be able to support firefighting efforts in Washington and Oregon.
“They provide a surge capability to civilian air tankers,” said Deirdre Forster, of the Wyoming National Guard. “They can drop fire retardant or water onto fires and they were relocated to Boise to [decrease] response time.”
Members of the Washington National Guard began responding July 16 with UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and members of the Oregon National Guard began responding with Black Hawk and Chinook aircraft to wildfires in that state July 18, National Guard Command Center officials said.
The Montana Army National Guard also has sent aircrews and CH-47 helicopters to assist with firefighting efforts in Washington.
“Our neighbors needed help,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Tim Crowe, with the Montana National Guard. “Just like Colorado did last year with the floods and we sent down an engineering unit to help with their natural disaster, we work with Washington as well.”
The wildfire response mission remains ongoing, and is projected to last for several weeks.
“We don’t have a timeline at this point,” Crowe said. “We sent out this first [aircrew and helicopters], and depending on the mission and the requirements, we’ll make adjustments as we move forward.”
The fires in Washington have burned through more than 300,000 acres and destroyed about 150 homes, according to reports. Meanwhile, fires in Oregon have burned roughly 530,000 acres.
Anticipated cooler temperatures and rains in the coming days may help in the effort, officials said, but Guard members stand ready to provide further assistance if needed.
“It’s what the National Guard is about -- helping each other out when disaster strikes,” Crowe said.
A PUBLICATION OF RANDOM U.S.GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES AND ARTICLES
Showing posts with label U.S. FOREST SERVICE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. FOREST SERVICE. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2014
Sunday, September 23, 2012
C-130 FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS DEACTIVATED
CHEYENNE, Wyo., Sept. 17, 2012 - The U.S. Forest Service has deactivated the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped military C-130s as fire conditions in the West have improved.
The 153rd Air Expeditionary Group received the notification late Sept. 14, releasing the two MAFFS planes and crews that were still operating, as well as the associated support and maintenance staff. All crews have reported back to their home stations.
The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, and the North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing each had a C-130 operating out of McClellan Air Tanker Base, Calif., for the last few weeks.
On Sept. 2, two C-130s from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing were released from MAFFS operations in Boise, Idaho. Two C-130s from the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing were released from duty Sept. 7.
"Although our planes and crews have returned home, we all know MAFFS can still be reactivated well into the fall," said Air Force Lt. Col. Donald Taylor, 153rd Air Expeditionary Group acting commander. "We have had a very busy season and know it's still too early to say the season is over for good."
According to 153rd Air Expeditionary Group officials based in Boise, Idaho, this season has become the second-highest in MAFFS history for gallons of fire retardant dropped, surpassed only by the MAFFS season of 1994 when about 5 million gallons were dropped. This season, through Sept. 14, the MAFFS fleet released almost 2.5 million gallons of fire retardant during 1,011 drops on fires in 10 states.
MAFFS is a joint Defense Department and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the Forest Service's needs.
This is the first year since 2008 that all four MAFFS wings had been activated simultaneously, officials said.
As a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the U.S. Forest Service, MAFFS can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area a quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
Forest Service Deactivates C-130 Firefighting Operations From a 153rd Air Expeditionary Group News Release
CHEYENNE, Wyo., Sept. 17, 2012 - The U.S. Forest Service has deactivated the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped military C-130s as fire conditions in the West have improved.
The 153rd Air Expeditionary Group received the notification late Sept. 14, releasing the two MAFFS planes and crews that were still operating, as well as the associated support and maintenance staff. All crews have reported back to their home stations.
The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, and the North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing each had a C-130 operating out of McClellan Air Tanker Base, Calif., for the last few weeks.
On Sept. 2, two C-130s from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing were released from MAFFS operations in Boise, Idaho. Two C-130s from the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing were released from duty Sept. 7.
"Although our planes and crews have returned home, we all know MAFFS can still be reactivated well into the fall," said Air Force Lt. Col. Donald Taylor, 153rd Air Expeditionary Group acting commander. "We have had a very busy season and know it's still too early to say the season is over for good."
According to 153rd Air Expeditionary Group officials based in Boise, Idaho, this season has become the second-highest in MAFFS history for gallons of fire retardant dropped, surpassed only by the MAFFS season of 1994 when about 5 million gallons were dropped. This season, through Sept. 14, the MAFFS fleet released almost 2.5 million gallons of fire retardant during 1,011 drops on fires in 10 states.
MAFFS is a joint Defense Department and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the Forest Service's needs.
This is the first year since 2008 that all four MAFFS wings had been activated simultaneously, officials said.
As a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the U.S. Forest Service, MAFFS can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area a quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
FOREST SERVICE ASKS FOR HELP
Photo: C-130. Credit: U.S. Air Force
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Forest Service Requests More Aircraft for Firefighting Operations
American Forces Press Service
CHEYENNE, Wyo., Aug. 13, 2012 - More forest fires in the western United States have prompted the U.S. Forest Service to call in two additional C-130s equipped with the Mobile Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS.
Those aircraft, expected to be operating by tomorrow, will come from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing here, officials said.
"This has been an interesting fire season for us. Our operations have waxed and waned since we were activated June 25," said Air Force Col. Jerry Champlin, 153rd Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Our aircraft are heavily engaged, and having two additional MAFFS will definitely help."
Under the modified request for assistance received Aug. 11, the 153rd Airlift Wing's two C-130s will join Air Force Reserve Command C-130s from the 302nd Airlift Wing operating from Boise Air Terminal in Idaho. A C-130 from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing and another from the North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing will operate from McClellan Air Tanker Base in Sacramento, Calif.
This year's MAFFS operations have dropped more gallons of fire retardant than during the last nine fire seasons, officials said.
MAFFS is a joint Defense Department and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the Forest Service's needs. MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the Forest Service that 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 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, the system can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
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