Some military C-130s are in town for a media photo opp this afternoon at the National Interagency Fire Center, and two will be based here to be ready for wildfire-fighting duty in this region.

The C-130s, equipped with Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS), could soon be serving as air tankers, dropping retardant on wildfires in Idaho or elsewhere in the west.

MAFFS are portable fire retardant delivery systems, owned by the U.S. Forest Service, that can be inserted into military C-130 aircraft to supplement the commercial Airtanker fleet. NIFC is currently activating four MAFFS to assist in wildfire suppression efforts in Texas and two MAFFS to stage in Boise to respond to wildfires in Idaho or elsewhere in the west if needed.

Many Boise residents will recognize the C-130s from last spring, when they practiced dropping water in the area as part of the annual MAFFS training at Gowen Field.