A Lawrence native was among three people killed in a firefighting plane crash Wednesday in northeastern California.

Brian Bruns, 47, was taking part in a test flight of a P-3 Orion air tanker that was to be put into service next month for Aero Union, a company that runs firefighting flights for the U.S. Forest Service, when the accident happened.

Bruns’ mother, Erma Bruns of Lawrence, said her son had chosen a treacherous profession, but he found it rewarding.

“It’s very dangerous, but he said it was so gratifying when you save somebody’s home,” she said. “He loved to fly because he felt so close to God.”

Bruns grew up in Lawrence and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1975, his mother said. After high school, he entered the Navy and served in the Navy Reserve for several years. In the mid-1980s, Bruns returned to Lawrence and enrolled at Kansas University where he obtained a degree in psychology.

At the time of his death, Bruns had achieved the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy, and was living for part of the year in Minden, Nev. From roughly April to November, though, Bruns worked for Aero Union aboard firefighting air tankers.

His mother said authorities had not revealed the cause of the accident to the family.

“All we know is what we have been told: That they’re still investigating,” she said. “We don’t know what caused it.”

Erma said the last time she saw her son was at Christmas, when he returned to Lawrence. Bruns had three brothers and a sister, two of whom live in Lawrence. His father, Kenneth, lives in Lawrence, too.

The plane in the crash was built in 1966 and originally used in the Navy before being refurbished to serve as an air tanker. Last May, 33 similar tankers in the federal firefighting fleet were grounded after safety concerns.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.