Fire Risk High in North Carolina So Limited Aid Offered to California
North Carolina National Guard crews are being dispatched to fight wild fires in Southern California that is dire straits. Many of the fires burn out of control consuming up wild lands as well as homes and business. The Santa Ana winds have died down giving fire fighters a chance to gain some ground.
Aircraft will be staged at Port Hueneme/Channel Islands, California with approximately 50 North Carolina Air National Guard Airmen deploying to operate the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS. Since 1974, MAFFS has saved land, lives and property from wild land fires in the United States and abroad. MAFFS is only activated when all other air tanker resources are committed.
The MAFFS mission equips C-130s with a fire fighting apparatus that is loaded into the aircraft’s cargo area. The MAFFS unit itself is a series of pressurized tanks that hold 3,000 gallons of flame-retardant liquid called Phos-Chek. Directed by ground crews and led to the fire site by a U.S. Forest service lead plane, MAFFS aircraft drop retardant along the leading edge of a fire to block the spread of flames.
The North Carolina contingent will operate two C-130s equipped with MAFFS modules. The third and fourth aircraft will transport other equipment, and personnel.
North Carolina National Guard
Personnel from North Carolina Division of Forestry who often respond and help out in situations like this are being held back because of the potential for disastrous fires here in our own state. The entire state is under a severe drought and although we got some much needed rain today we need much more to reverse the drought. A statewide burning ban remains in effect for NC and all citizens of NC have been urged by the Governor to conserve water. Earlier this week many of the larger municipalities in the state announced that they have about 100 day supply of water so conservation is important.
Our thoughts and Prayers tonight for the people of Southern California and those who have been sent out to fight the fires.
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