PETERSON AFB, COLO. -- The Texas wildfire burning about 25 miles east of Austin is the largest of the Texas fires sweeping the Lone Star State.
It's also one of the 200 fires to break out this week.
Statewide 1,700 homes have been destroyed, thousands evacuated, and four people killed.
Saturday nearly 30 members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base left for Texas to join in the firefighting efforts.
The crew is equipped with three C-130 aircrafts and will conduct daylight slurry attacks.
Two of the planes are equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS), which are located at the rear of the plane.
MAFFS can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, over an area one-quarter of a mile long by 60 feet wide.
The U.S. Fire Service will direct the Air Force Reserve once in Texas. The main job is containment not to put the fire out.
"We love it. This is an exciting mission for us," Lt. Col. James DeVere, of the Air Force Reserve said. "Everytime we get called out we always have a lot of volunteers we're ready to go, this is what we train for."
Texas forecasters are predicting more dry windy weather, so the goal is to conduct as many missions as possible.
There's no specific end date and the 302nd will be working until the fire is contained.
A total of four MAFFS equipped aircrafts are providing support to the Texas wildland fires.
Peterson Air Force Base is providing two MAFFS and the North Carolina Air National Guard has the others.
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