Phil Mallory is a bored forest watcher on Kelly Mountain. Although he knows he must stay in his tower to look for other fires, Phil longs to fight fires. Not far away, a major fire is burning, and a crew of other Forest Service workers are fighting it. When lightning strikes near Phil's station and starts a small fire, he goes out to investigate.

Alvin Fernald is a sixth-grader who wants to win an essay contest in his class. He is able to get an interview with the mayor, but while waiting in City Hall, Alvin and his friend, Shoie, hear something much more interesting.