Isn't putting out the fire worse than just letting it burn off cleanly? The burning gas will most likely produce less air pollution that the effects of venting

Isn't putting out the fire worse than just letting it burn off cleanly? The burning gas will most likely produce less air pollution that the effects of venting gas into the atmosphere. And it's not like they would have to put out the fire on the _surface_ to fix the leak that is likely tens if not hundreds of meters below surface.