Parachute flares when night flying

[GLSNightPilot]

Please enlighten me as to why in the name of all that's holy a helicopter would carry parachute flares. Throwing a parachute flare out of a helicopter in flight isn't the smartest thing anyone could do, and using it to illuminate the landing area is just so stupid I can't even conceive of that being the reason, although all the language regarding landing lights seems to point in that general direction. What country's aviation authority is so ignorant that it would require this?