Much of the burning is done with a “ping-pong ball machine,” a curious rectangular steel contraption which drops incendiary balls from a helicopter into the burn zone. Officially known as the Primo Mark III Aerial Ignition Machine, the device is designed not only for starting burns but for fighting wildfires. In the Sandhills, “there’s good leaf litter for the balls to ignite in," said Fire Management Officer Terri Jenkins.