I may sound like an idiot to a meteorologist, but here goes: Watching footage of the wildfires that blaze every season in our nation's forests is very disheartening. Once a fire gets going, there is really nothing we can do to stop it - just contain it.
So let's generate rain over the affected area. We could shoot a 'missile' over the area on fire. When the missile exploded, it would release the gasses needed to create the conditions for rain.
It may produce unwanted side effects in the environment, but when the alternative can be weeks and weeks of burning forest, it may be worth it.
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It's a great idea if it would really produce rain. Insofar as the latest information goes, there is no sure way to produce rain by human action.
It would probably be better to accept that forest fires also have positive side effects and let 'em burn until they go out. This is what happened for eons before people organized fire fighting brigades. And the trees grew back without anyone's help. Imagine!
We are likely spending all that money saving the forests so someone else can chainsaw them down for a profit anyway.
Use the money that would be used to fight the fires to evacuate people living in the area of the fire. They can rebuild.
I like the thought, but I agree with others that it's not likely to work. However, how about this similar idea: Drill a series of wells along what would be a "fire line" in the forest to which firefighters could drop in and attach pumps when needed. The high-powered pumps would jet water several hundred feet in the air, similar to a fire hose, with wind taking care of the rest. You wouldn't save the whole forest, but you could perhaps stop the fire at one point.
Or I could wash my car and drive it near the fire and watch it rain!!! But seriously, how about allowing the logging industry to cut fire breaks around and through all forest areas breaking it up into smaller areas. They can also move the fire breaks every so many years to allow for new growth in the old fire breaks, thus taking out the older trees that will be nearing their life cycle. This will slow down the fires and make the logging industry happy too.
The gas needed for making rain is water vapor. I don't think you're going to put enough water into the air to make it rain. You might as well just put the water directly on the fire.