"Meanwhile....Back at the Ranch....."
...To answer your original question BOB...
I'm not even going to try to figure the math on GPH on forest fires...because I'm too busy "Laughing at the end result of the 1950's mentality of America and what it has brought upon us". Now before some of the "elders" chime in...I'm refering to the "Smokey the Bear...only you can prevent forest fires" mindset. You remember those catchy PSA sound bites? For years man has been running around "snuffing out forest fires". WHY? Once again man interfered with mother nature "doing her thing" cleaning up "her own mess"...only to make things worse in the long run.
50+ years of "forest litter" has been "stored up"...we are paying for it now.
In order to "do the math"...one would have to account into the equation man's interference... unfortunately I'm sure a Cray supercomputer would "go Chernobyl" on the equation.
Either way...it's a meaningless number.
Ever hear that catchy little song think they call it "Pave Paradise"???? You know the one: "They took all the trees and put them in a tree museaum...and charged the people a dollar and a half to see them...Hey Farmer Farmer put away your DDT...Don't care about spot's on my apples'...leave me the birds and the bees'....."
YUP Bob...I know your frustration with their "superior condescending smug aura"...I hear their "snickers"...feel their "stares" and witness their "nose thumbing"...all on a daily basis. I don't let it bother me...because they "are the ones without a clue".
I cut trees...burn wood...drive a huge 1982 dump truck that would make militant 'greenies' read me the 'riot act'...let alone the huge "tree anialator" wood chipper it tows that weighs as much as a hummer...probably twice as much as two or three honda's and belch just as much smoke from the cigar I might smoke driving away from "a good job"...all before 5PM
The difference can be seen as "night and day" cause' I recycle...drive a car that get's 30+MPG etc.
The real difference between "Me and them" is I know "where the rubber meets the road" I don't preach...I appreciate "earth's bounty" and I live by the addage "waste not want not".
WHY? Because I worked for it..
"..They paved Paradise...To Put up a WALMART...WAP WAP"