RatherBeFlying Going back a few decades shows a less benign record. Some of the reduced fatality count can be credited to improved design of fuel systems and structures. But some day there will be another major fuel system breach with the wind blowing the wrong way.
In that case the fatality count will be a function of delay in beginning evacuation.
No it's a function of evacuating safely being fully informed of the outside conditions. The last thing you want to do is open the exits when that allows ingress of smoke and fire into the cabin, or if the passengers will exit into the pool fire. Those things will kill passengers more quickly.
This a complex area. For example wind speed has a significant impact on heat flux and heat location. Winds increase mixing and therefore increase the heat. Interestingly research has shown that in low to moderate winds heat is greatest on the windward side of the aircraft, in high winds heat is greater on the leeward side.
When you keep the doors closed, the increased cabin pressure actually assists in keeping combustion products out.
The important barriers are time to extinguish and heat resistant materials. Evacuation will not always be safer.