Crews from the 153rd Airlift Wing, the Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 unit in Cheyenne, and the 302nd AW, the Air Force Reserve Command Hercules unit at Peterson AFB, Colorado, were tasked on 24 June 2012 to provide Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, support to fight wildfires in Colorado. The four military MAFFS units across the country provide a surge capability to boost fire suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed. The MAFFS program is a joint effort between the US Forest Service and Department of Defense. The Forest Service owns the MAFFS equipment and supplies retardant, while DoD provides the aircraft, pilots, and support personnel for the missions. The Cheyenne crews will operate from Peterson AFB.
