2 military planes going to California to fight wildfires

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Two Air Force Reserve firefighting planes are being sent to California to battle wildfires raging there.

The C-130s from Colorado's Peterson Air Force Base are expected to arrive at McClellan Airtanker Base near Sacramento on Monday to fight fires in California and the Northwest.

The planes are equipped with large devices called Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS. They can drop 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds and can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

Planes equipped with MAFFS are operated by four military airlift wings around the country, including the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

The wing says the planes were activated after the U.S. Forest Service requested help Saturday evening.