2 Military Planes From Colorado Arrive In California To Fight Wildfires
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) - Two Air Force Reserve firefighting planes have been sent to California to battle wildfires raging there.
The C-130s from Colorado's Peterson Air Force Base arrived at McClellan Airtanker Base near Sacramento on Monday to fight fires in California and the Northwest.
The planes are equipped with large devices called Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS. They can drop 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds and can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
RELATED: Colorado Sending Aircraft To Help California & Oregon Fight Wildfires
Planes equipped with MAFFS are operated by four military airlift wings around the country, including the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
The wing says the planes were activated after the U.S. Forest Service requested help Saturday evening.
Wildfire Resources
- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.
Wildfire Photo Galleries
- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.
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