We see it on TV all the time in California, the wild fires that are completely out of control. Helicopters would fly over head and drop water onto the trees and the ground. I've always wondered how they did it.

Get our free mobile app

Then it happened closer to home and it really got me wondering how they did it. Now I know the answer thanks to the New York State Department of Conservation and the work on the Napanoch Point Fire.

Napanoch Point Fire Contained By Helicopter Water Drop

If it looks like it just random drops then you would be wrong, it takes planning and cooperation. It takes team work on the ground and in the air and in this case it was with the New York State Police pilots and the Forest Ranger crew bosses

Griggsby Cowart is a Forest Ranger and Helicopter Crew Boss and he says that it takes team work, trust and training to make the bucket drops such a success. The pilots are tethered to the aircraft but they'll work with their heads hanging outside for much of the time.

For a week, they would scoop the water out of the river and spread it around the forest. One day, they did 87 bucket drops which is more than 17,000 gallons of water.

You can see their entire story below and all the work that it takes to help things move smoothly.

KEEP READING: Get answers to 51 of the most frequently asked weather questions...

More From WNBF News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM