More NCANG airmen join in the wildfire fight

Photo By Maj. Michael Wilber | A MAFFS 7 of the North Carolina Air National Guard prepares to launch to disperse fire retardant on the Las Choncas wildfire that has already consumed over 100,000 acres of land.  

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NM, UNITED STATES

07.02.2011

Story by 1st Lt. Michael Wilber 

145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - On July 2, fresh airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard join their fellow airmen in the fight against the raging wildfires over New Mexico and Arizona.

On July 1, the weekly rotator flew in to drop off replacement air and ground crew member for those heading home for a much-needed rest and return to their civilian lives and jobs.

While working on the MAFFS mission, airman of the NCANG work long hours to keep the MAFFS equipped C-130s available and flying throughout daylight hours, limited only by federal regulations dictating the daylight rule, restricting the flight crews to 12 hours from launch until the last drop of the day and the suns daily arrival and departure.

“You’re flying in high winds at low altitude in smoke with three miles of visibility,” said Col. Roger Williams, MAFFS 7 aircraft commander from the NCANG, “When you come back, your flight suit smells like you’ve been sitting next to a campfire.”

Flight crews fly 12-hour missions until the return trip home. These are long hours of physically and mentally demanding flying, close to the ground, strategically dropping their loads of fire retardant in treacherous flying conditions.

“This last week has been the most heavily tasked I have experienced in my 10 years of flying these [MAFFS] missions,” said Williams.

Ground crews work from 8 a.m. to have the aircraft ready at sun up for the flight crews. Throughout the day the aircraft return to the "pits" to reload fire retardant and refuel if necessary. Once the aircraft have completed their missions for the evening, ground crews continue working, readying the aircraft in the night to take full advantage of every minute of daylight the following day.

“These guys are giving up their vacations on this holiday weekend to take part in this important mission,” said Chief Master Sgt. Doug Rook, the maintenance team chief, “We’re helping real people like you and me.”

Many here have worked on the fires several weeks, with their counterparts from Air Force Reserve Command's 302 AW based at Peterson AFB, Colo., and the 146 AW of the California Air National Guard.

So far airmen of the NCANG have flown over 50 hours dropping over 99,900 gallons of fire retardant over the 1,716 wildfires that have already claimed 51,890 acres of land.

• Date Taken: 07.02.2011
• Date Posted: 07.02.2011 17:13
• Story ID: 73161
• Location: KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NM, US