The Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing was activated for aerial firefighting support beginning August 9, to assist with fires in western states.
The activation, directed by the National Interagency Fire Center, includes coordination with the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, with both units initially based at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado.
The 152nd Airlift Wing has 19 aircrew members supporting the missions, and they have completed five drops totaling 13,900 gallons of retardant on the Crosho fire in Rio Blanco County, Colorado.
Their C-130H aircraft are equipped with U.S. Forest Service-owned Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems units, or MAFFS, and will be refilled at tanker bases across the state to support ground firefighting crews.
A single MAFFS unit can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant, 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, and the aircraft can be refilled in under 12 minutes at the tanker base.
The 152nd Airlift Wing is one of three Air National Guard units assigned to this mission, alongside the 146th Airlift Wing from Port Hueneme, California, and the 153rd Airlift Wing from Cheyenne, Wyoming, as well as the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing from Colorado Springs.
“The recent MAFFS activation in Colorado is a clear example of why we must ensure our Airmen remain trained, proficient, and ready to meet the expanding needs of state and federal responses,” said Col. Catherine Grush, 152nd Wing Commander. “Through empowered leadership, we take calculated and deliberate risks to ensure mission success—protecting lives, property, and our communities when they need us most.”
As part of the Department of Defense’s Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission, these units are prepared to respond quickly to minimize human suffering and protect lives, property, critical infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources.
The Nevada Air National Guard has a history spanning more than 75 years. The 152nd Airlift Wing continues this legacy by providing tactical airlift support for federal and state missions, including MAFFS operations since 2016, support for Operation Deep Freeze since 2024, and participation in the State Partnership Program with Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa.
