by Tech. Sgt. Stephen J. Collier
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
4/24/2013 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Despite
the winter-like weather, Colorado Air Force Reservists and their active
duty counterparts were re-certified April 19-23 here to respond to
wildland fires.
The 302nd Airlift Wing, the
Air Force Reserve's only organization with the aerial fire fighting
mission, held its annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System
certification and training week. Beginning April 19, 10 aircrews made up
of AF Reservists and members of the wing's active duty associate 52nd
Airlift Squadron took part in classroom and ground instruction, held
jointly with the U.S. Forest Service. Soon after, C-130 Hercules
aircrews and maintenance personnel transitioned to the air, performing
simulated retardant drops using water.
Describing the MAFFS training, Lt. Col. Luke Thompson, 302nd AW chief of
aerial fire fighting, said, "This year, we had an updated, more
in-depth ground training program. We were hampered by weather a little
bit, but the end goal is about trying to get our people ready to go when
and if they need us. And I think we've done that."
The wing's MAFFS program added new faces to the aerial fire fighting
roster this year. These include one pilot, two navigators, two flight
engineers and four loadmasters. Reserve aircrews who support the MAFFS
mission are volunteers, with each working to incorporate aerial fire
fighting training into their required airdrop and tactical flying skill
sets.
Aircrews performed water drops throughout a number of areas in and
around Colorado's Front Range. These included areas near Hackett,
Cooper, 39 Mile, Tarryall Mountains, Gold Camp Road and Dawson
Mountains.
The 302nd AW works in concert with three ANG wings from California,
Wyoming and North Carolina to make up the Air Force's overall aerial
fire fighting fleet. With the 302nd AW certified, Wyoming ANG's 153rd
AW, N.C. ANG's 145th AW and the 146th from the California ANG will
certify in May.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the 302nd AW assuming the
aerial fire fighting MAFFS mission. Since 1993, the 302nd AW has
provided MAFFS support to a number of large-scale wildland fires,
including Colorado's 2002 Hayman Fire, California's Big Sur Fire in 2008
and the 2012 Waldo Canyon fire in nearby Colorado Springs.
"I know Waldo Canyon was a big deal for many of our members; it was a
horrendous event for the local community," Thompson said. "We're
continuing to train the same way we do every year. Every fire is serious
to us."
On average, the U.S. Forest Service estimates 78,000 fires affect the
United States annually, burning approximately 6.5 million acres. For May
2013, the National Interagency Fire Center projects above normal
wildland fire conditions for Arizona, New Mexico, Florida and areas
throughout the Midwest. Those areas are set to return to normal wildland
fire risk levels in June and July, but above normal or increasing above
normal projections for California, Oregon, Washington state and western
Idaho are predicted.
Wildland fire seasons generally run from May 1st to November 30th each
year. However, MAFFS support provided by both the AF Reserve and its ANG
counterparts have been activated multiple times during off seasons.
Friday, April 26, 2013
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