PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) — Two specially equipped U.S. Air Force cargo planes left Colorado on Saturday to help battle wildfires in northern Mexico.

The C-130s were requested by the Mexican government and the U.S. State Department, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman said.

The planes can spray about 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in a matter of seconds from a system of pressurized tanks called Modular Aerial Fire Fighting System or MAFFS.

The MAFFS is designed for the cargo bay of a C-130.

The planes heading to Mexico are based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and are assigned to the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing.

The fires have burned about 386 square miles in Mexico near the Texas border. Mexico has already deployed 1,000 personnel, nine helicopters and two small planes.

The C-130s will fly firefighting missions from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. A third C-130 went in a support role. About 30 service personnel are also part of the mission.

The planes and crews will stay as long as they're needed, said John Cornelio, a spokesman for Northern Command.

In December, the U.S. sent two of the firefighting C-130s to help battle blazes in Israel.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/US- ... 81519.html

And denies federal aid to fight fires in Texas.

Over 2.2 million acres of Texas land have been lost to wildfires due to severe dry conditions caused by drought. Across the state, hundreds of homes and countless livestock have been lost. As a result, Texas Governor Rick Perry requested federal emergency funds to assist in fighting the ongoing fires.

Today, President Obama has declined that request.

Well, we know that the President "loves Texas." He said so in this interview.

I'm sure the denial of federal emergency funds is simply an example of fiscal responsibility and thriftiness - just as denying the Houston Space Center one of the space shuttles had no political motivation behind it. Los Angeles deserved a space shuttle! After all, in the movie "Space Cowboys" the shuttle crash landed there !

As a native Texan, I'm smart enough to know that, were federal funds provided in assistance, it would be stupid to refuse them. However, as a native Texan, I also know that Texans are tough folks. They're proud, resilient, self-reliant, and will end the end triumph over this disaster. The money would be nice, Mr. President. But don't worry. After it's all said and done, we'll forever remember those who stepped up to lend us a helping hand - and those who didn't.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/201 ... _ever.html