the air national guard's main tool for fighting forest fires is the modular airborne fire fighting system (maffs), which has undergone several updates since its first use in september 1971 by the california air national guard's then-146th tactical airlift wing and the north carolina air national guard's then 145th tactical airlift group. housed in c-130s, maffs could disperse up to 27,000 pounds ... almost 3,000 gallons ... of commercial fire retardants or an equivalent amount of water. newer aircraft like the c-130j carry the maffs ii, which carry even more fire retardant, can disperse it more rapidly over a wider area, and is easier to recharge after a mission than its predecessor.