One problem with not fighting a fire first is that things can go ape very quickly. For example some years ago a Wessex Mk 1 was in the dip at a 25 ft hover, when the hydraulic windscreen wiper motor, which is between the co-pilots feet, burst into flames. The pilots told the 2 crew in the back to jump into the sea and then they attempted to fly to the carrier about 5 miles away. At approx 50 knots and 50 feet, the helicpoter blew up killing both pilots. Meanwhile the back seat crew were in their liferafts watching all this happen around them.
In other words even a small harmless looking flame in the wrong place is not good.
