"...it was sad to see the trestle burn because of their inability to properly deal with the fire, especially in it's incipient stages." Consider the facts before condemning the Firefighters. This fire happened in a remote area, with difficult access, and no hydrant protection within 500 feet. Lines had to be hand-laid into the fire area, and relay pumping had to be employed. This fire started suddenly, as the leading edge of the smoke plume indicated, and most certainly had help from an accelerant (like gasoline) to get burning so quickly over so great a length. This fire involved massive creosote-treated timber and piling, elevated and well ventilated so as to burn unrestricted. Even if the Fire Departments had used water tenders (which they DO have), they still are limited by fire fuel load and the ability to get big lines on the fire effectively due to extreme heat exposure. In this case, the radiant heat exposure forced a defensive attack. Even the UP official on scene publicly praised the Firefighters for their work in protecting the bridge from excessive heat damage. This structure was doomed from the moment the fire started; no amount of water from tender trucks would have prevented its ultimate destruction. This fire may be determined to be arson, suggested by the fast extensive start of the fire.