With the help of Army National Guard crews, a group of Long Island firefighters learned to battle brushfires by air Friday.

Helicopters have helped firefighters put a stop to fast-spreading wildfires on Long Island over the years.

?They're a big help just in thick areas that some of the trucks can't get into,? Assistant Lakeland Fire Chief Michael Barbara says. ?These guys can come in and help out tremendously."

During the training, the pilots dropped and filled up a water bucket in Lake Ronkonkoma and then carried it to a target for emptying.

Chief Warrant Officer James Freeman, an Army National Guard pilot, says it takes special skills to do the task optimally and put out the fires. The water can be targeted for a small or large area depending on the height and speed from which the bucket is dropped.

Firefighters say even though there?s been a decent amount of rain recently, the danger of brushfires remains high. They say observing smoking and campfire regulations and trimming trees and brush on property will help prevent brushfires.

Click for more on how to prevent brushfires

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