Most fires are battled from the ground, but in some cases, seeing it from above can make a big difference.
The Wake Forest Fire Department uses a drone to get a 400-foot aerial view.
“It gives you a different perspective on the incident and allows us to see things that we wouldn't otherwise,” said Steve Rhode, the department’s chief pilot.
The drone allowed the department to help coordinate efforts during a woods fire that burned 50 acres in Wake County.
“We were able to get out over the high-tension power lines and quickly move from one part of the fire to the other and then help direct ground staff where they needed to be,” Rhode said.