Water droping Helicopters wouldn't have stopped the fire. The fire was burning under the trestle, not on top. If you've seen the videos, you will remember that the smoke was rising straight up for thousands of feet at a very high velocity. Any aircraft flying through that would suffer damage. I, being a pilot, would not atempt that, especially with approaching darkness. Air drops were not an option. The fire departments did the best they could do slowing the fire's progress while UP's contractors with giant backhows tore apart what was left.

Norm O.