With National Preparedness Level 4 now in place for more than two weeks and 49 large fires competing for resources across the country, fire managers are turning to every available tool to keep pace with an extraordinary 2026 wildfire season. The activation of Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) aircraft and the deployment of over 17,500 personnel nationwide underscore the scale of the current response.

MAFFS: Military Aviation to the Rescue

NIFC announced this week that additional MAFFS-equipped military C-130 aircraft have been mobilized to support wildfire suppression efforts, providing critical surge capacity that supplements the civilian airtanker fleet. MAFFS units are operated by Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units and can be rapidly deployed when commercial airtanker availability is exhausted.

The C-130 MAFFS aircraft carry approximately 3,000 gallons of retardant or water per load and can support multiple drops per sortie. Key units operating MAFFS include:

  • 146th Airlift Wing — California Air National Guard, Channel Islands ANGS
  • 152nd Airlift Wing — Nevada Air National Guard, Reno
  • 302nd Airlift Wing — Air Force Reserve Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado
  • 153rd Airlift Wing — Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne

The decision to activate MAFFS signals that civilian airtanker contracts are fully committed and that demand for aerial firefighting resources has reached a critical threshold. MAFFS activations are coordinated through NIFC and are used as a last-resort surge capability.

Northwest Coordination Center Competing for Resources

The Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) in Portland — responsible for coordinating wildland fire resources across Oregon and Washington — is actively competing with Rocky Mountain, Great Basin, and California geographic coordination centers for Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams, hotshot crews, heavy air tankers, and helicopter resources.

With PNW fires including the East Evans Creek Fire, Kaiser Canyon Fire, and the northeast Oregon complex all demanding significant resources simultaneously, NWCC coordinators are drawing on out-of-region resources. Hotshot crews from as far away as the Southeast and Rocky Mountains are being requested to supplement regional crews already committed to existing incidents.

Personnel Assignments Across the PNW

On the East Evans Creek Fire alone, more than 1,500 personnel are now housed at a base camp in Sams Valley, with more arriving daily. Oregon State Fire Marshal structural firefighters, Oregon Department of Forestry personnel, and federal crews are all integrated into the incident management structure. The Salmon and Anthony fire complex in northeast Oregon has approximately 900 additional firefighters assigned.

Resource Outlook

Fire managers at NIFC acknowledge that the 2026 season is creating sustained pressure on national resources earlier in the calendar year than typical. With the peak of the historical fire season still weeks away in many regions, concerns are growing about resource availability if conditions worsen. Agency officials continue to coordinate with Canada and Australia under existing bilateral agreements to potentially bring in additional international resources if the situation demands it.