The Cal-Fire OV-10 Bronco was originally a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. Built by North American Rockwell in the 1960s as a special aircraft for military COunter INsurgency(COIN) combat, its primary mission was designated as a Forward Air Control (FAC) aircraft. The canopy design offers excellent visibility, a very important feature when it came to CDF/Cal-Fire upgrading from the old Cessna O-2 Skymasters.

CDF / Cal-Fire battle hundreds of wildland fires following a record breaking number on lightning strikes in one day. Inset graphic is the Automated Lightning Detection system illustrating the 3,200 strikes on Saturday 21 June, 2008.
The terrain is very steep and rugged in many of the fire zones, conditions that greatly increase the risk to the fire fighters. Fighting alongside the CDF/Cal-fire crews are volunteer state inmates, a specialized and highly trained team that gets less than their fair share of recognition.(pictured)

The Electra Fire area affected in shown in this Google Earth image. At the bottom is the PG&E "Electra" hydro-electric powerhouse- close to the source of the fire. At the top is Lake Tabeau- the source of water used to fight the wildland fire. The geography is a river canyon at the bottom with steep and rugged terrain rising to the north and south sides. Grass and dense brush enabled the fire to spread quickly up the slopes. Fire crews staged at the top of the ridge line along Amador Lane. Bulldozers cut fuel breaks along the ridge line and contained the fire to the top of the ridge.

CDF/Cal-Fire helicopters used Lake Tabeau as the primary water source for water drops on the Electra Fire.

The CDF/Cal-Fire ground crews faced very steep terrain in the attempt to hold the fire line.