The U.S. military has activated Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS) aircraft and personnel in response to the rapidly escalating wildfire situation in the Pacific Northwest. Two MAFFS-equipped C-130 airtankers and support personnel from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard have been deployed to Klamath Falls, Oregon, to support wildland fire operations.

MAFFS Deployment Details

The 302nd Airlift Wing deployment to Klamath Falls positions the aircraft to support the numerous active large fires burning across southern Oregon and northern California. The Klamath Falls Air Tanker Base is a key suppression hub for southwestern Oregon, providing centralized aerial retardant capability for a region that currently has the most active large fires of any state in the country.

Each MAFFS unit is installed aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft and can deliver up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in a single aerial drop. MAFFS aircraft are only activated when commercial airtanker capacity is insufficient to meet demand — a threshold that has now been reached.

Additional National Guard Deployments

The Northwest deployment is part of a broader national activation of MAFFS assets. Additional Air National Guard units have been activated to support fire operations in California:

  • 153rd Airlift Wing (Wyoming Air National Guard): One MAFFS C-130 deployed to San Bernardino, California
  • 146th Airlift Wing (California Air National Guard): One MAFFS C-130 deployed to Santa Maria, California

The simultaneous activation of multiple MAFFS units across the West reflects the severity of the current fire season and the pressure on civilian firefighting aviation resources.

National Preparedness Context

NIFC has elevated the National Preparedness Level to 4 out of 5. At this level, most available firefighting resources nationally are committed, and competition for aircraft, crews, and equipment is intense. Resource orders from the Northwest are being filled in priority order based on life safety and values at risk.

Nationwide, 1,024 engines, 140 crews, and 140 helicopters are currently engaged in firefighting operations alongside the MAFFS aircraft. The agency is also coordinating with Canada on potential cross-border resource sharing as that country's fire season also heats up.

What MAFFS Activation Means

MAFFS activations require presidential authorization and represent one of the highest levels of military support available for domestic wildfire response. The units are managed cooperatively between the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense under a longstanding agreement that dates back to the 1970s.

For communities in southern Oregon and northern California, the presence of MAFFS aircraft at Klamath Falls provides additional aerial firefighting capacity during a period when civilian large airtankers are stretched thin across multiple regions.