Cal Fire's OV-10 Bronco Air Attack 310 orbits above a wildfire in Anza. Anza Valley Outlook/Diane Sieker photo
High above a wildfire’s towering smoke column, a lone aircraft circles tirelessly, its twin turboprop engines humming a familiar tune. Below, firefighting aircraft maneuver in a coordinated aerial ballet.Cal Fire’s OV-10A Bronco Air Attack 310, directs resources to combat wildfires, guiding air tankers and helitack crews as they drop Phos-Chek and water on the flames.Originally built by North American Rockwell in Columbus, Ohio, 310 was designed for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and served from 1968 to 1993. The OV-10A was used for counterinsurgency operations and close air support for military ground forces.In 1993, Cal Fire acquired 310 and 14 other OV-10As from the Department of Defense, converting them for air attack operations. These aircraft replaced the aging Cessna
