Originally Posted by
newfieboy
Having spent many an hour on a Bambi Bucket on many extremely large forest fires, I can safely say I wouldn't of gone anywhere near that building.
I have experienced first hand the winds, up drafts and turbulence around large fires. When a fire burns with that heat and intensity, you don't actually drop on the fire, the water/foam would evaporate before it hits the target. You drop around it to soak the bush to slow it down.
Well most of the facades remained fire free before being eventually engulfed. In my humble opinion that was definitely opportunity for some aerial rescue. The problem is that the initial response was to "stay in" and when the firefighters realized how terrible that option was they pretty much watched people die before their very eyes left, right and center. Just terrible.
Much easier with hindsight but aerial evacuation
was possible. To what extent, with what risks and with what material are all questions I don't have the answer to. I too would be interested to know if it was considered.