In 2024, as wildfires ravaged Southern California, the Air National Guard sprang into action. C-130 Hercules aircraft from Channel Islands Air National Guard Station supported ground crews with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS), each capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in just five seconds. Activated by U.S. Northern Command, these missions helped slow the fires’ advances. Developed in the 1970s as a partnership between the Forest Service and the Department of Defense, MAFFS-equipped aircraft continue to play a vital role in protecting lives and containing wildfires nationwide.