Slim Chance buys his own herd of cattle and takes them to pasture on Viola's father's ranch, but a raging wildfire puts the ranch and Slim's new herd in serious danger.

The big one is on it's way, and none too soon for the resdients of an unusually arid Moose County, who are becoming increasingly anxious about wildfires as they await for the first snowstorm of the season. A Citizen's Fire Watch is formed, and volunteers go out on shifts to patrol areas of concern, particularly.