SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on Mar 04  announced he is activating the California National Guard (CalGuard) 146th Airlift Wing based out of the Channel Islands in Oxnard and authorized the deployment of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and crew to the state of Texas in support of wildfire fighting operations.

 “In times of crisis, Americans stand together. California has built a nation-leading firefighting fleet and we’re proud to lend a helping hand to Texas as the Lone Star State battles the largest wildfire in its history”, said Governor Gavin Newsom.

The 146th Airlift Wing is providing one aircraft to conduct wildland firefighting air operations from March 4-18 in the vicinity of Abilene, Texas. This mission is in support of the Texas Forestry Service on the Panhandle Fires. The aircraft will stage out of Dyess Air Force Base for the duration of this mission.

The CalGuard’s 146th Airlift Wing known as the “Hollywood Guard” is one of the four C-130 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units in the nation that are equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) supplied by the U.S. Forest Service. This system is mounted in the aircraft and provides effective suppression with retardant in large wildland fires from the air. This military air tanker serves as an emergency backup resource to the civilian air tanker fleet used in fighting wildfires nationwide.