 Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill, pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. You know, I often wonder why folks can't learn by other people's experience. But I guess they never will. However, I think there's a bigger human failing, which probably does more damage in the long run. And it's the deadly practice of procrastination, putting things off and never getting around to them. Then when it's too late to do anything about it, those who procrastinate it are sorry. Well, let's move along today and find out more about the deadly art of procrastination in the story Hot Fire. We sure have been getting a good amount of rain this spring. Right, we need it too. Some places not too far from us haven't had rain like this for five years. Yeah, I know it's been a long time. We've had some good drizzling rains too. Yeah, those are the kind that really counts, honey. The slow easy kind of rain soaks way down into the ground and there's hardly any runoff. This most beautiful spring I've seen in many years. Everything brilliant green. I remember several years ago and everything was a brilliant brown in the spring. Didn't have enough snow during the winter to put in your ear. And the spring was even drier. Yes, sir, if we could have had some of this rain then would have saved a lot of timber. Now, that year we have terrible forest fire in spring. First time in many years we have forest fire in spring. That sure was gruel. It was four years ago to be exact that we had the fire. The big damage was caused by procrastination mostly. I remember talking to Stan Woods out at the dynamite plant two years before the fire. Hello, Bill. Oh, hi, Stan. Can we go outside or it's quiet enough to talk? Sure. Right out this door. Okay. Tell me something. If I can. Now, this one you can. So you enter this building as I drove up. Shortly after you came in, one of your men walked out. When I came in, another man came out right away. Why? A safety precaution, Bill. The sign says five men and only five men are allowed in this building at any one time. That building over there allows three men and building to my left allows eight men. Those signs mean just what they say. We're not making vegetable soup, you know. Oh, I guess not. What you're trying to prevent is men bunching up in case of an accidental explosion, huh? Exactly. So the men automatically adjust to the limit when somebody walks in. Pretty clever. Oh, just a safety precaution. We have a lot of them here. Wooden wheels, wooden rails, special non-sparking shoes. A lot of the equipment and machinery have plastic, wood or rubber operating parts to reduce the danger of sparks. Very fine. You know, Stan, you take such great care of your immediate plant area. I know of one place where you've fallen down miserably on the safety angle. Where? You can't be serious. Oh yes, I am serious, my friend. I'm talking about the areas in the valley so you store your dynamite in caves. What's wrong with the caves? Nothing. It's the scrub growth and high grass around the caves that I'm talking about. Oh, that, that. Stan, it's not all that. Do you realize that this whole country is like a smoldering bomb? Why, it's so dry here that even the cactus are complaining. Yeah, I know it's dry all right. When are you gonna trim out the scrub growth and cut the grass? Well, I will. I will, honestly. It's just that I haven't gotten around to it. That's the same story you told me last fall. I know. It's just that I'm so business, busy, you know, business is very good. When will it be done, Mr. Woods? You want the exact date? Yes, I do. And you can be sure I'll be back to check it. That I know. Well, how about a month from now? Okay, good enough. I'll be back to see you in a month. You should have saved your breath on Stan Woods, sonny. He's without a doubt the world's greatest procrastinator. Huh? Eh, what kind of a disease is that, young fella? You call it right, old timer. It is disease with some people. I'll say it is. Well, what in the name of common sense is a procrastinator, a person who keeps putting things off? Oh, that's what it is. It's a disease, all right, with Stan Woods. I'll say it is, or I should say it was. Stan sure had to be cured the hard way. Yes, sir, you sure did a fine job of clearing out the scrub growth and cutting the tall grass, Stan. Well, Bill, I've been so terribly busy. I haven't got the men to spare. All the road building and special projects in the mountains has put a terrific demand on my dynamite production. Uh-huh. You think I'm joking? Oh, not in the least, as far as you're concerned. Bill, you don't seem to be surprised. I think you're laughing at me. No, I feel sorry for you, Stan. You feel sorry for me? Why? Because you're a procrastinator, that's why. Yeah, you're right. Now, you're not telling me anything I don't know. Well, let's get back to the point of hand. I, uh, I suppose you can get real rough on me for not cutting this stuff. Mm-hmm, I could. But I'll go the full mile with you before I get a court order because you've been honest with me. Well, thanks, Bill. I'll have my men clear this stuff out within two weeks and that's a promise. An honest to goodness and real promise that I'll keep if it's the last thing I ever do. All right, Stan. I'll be back in two weeks to check. And I'll have a court order and a warrant for your arrest in my pocket, just as an added incentive to help you keep your promise. If I haven't carried out my promise in two weeks, I'll deserve to be hauled by the back of the neck and thrown into the cooler. It'll be done in two weeks. That's ample time. I hope so. It's pretty dry. Better pray that we don't have a fire before you get this stuff cleared out or you'll blow half the county off the face of the earth. You sure was dry that year. Why, even a snake made a lot of racket rolling around because everything was bone dry. Stop it. You're joking. I ain't neither, young filler. The creeks were drying up and the rivers were low. Wasn't even a morning dew. Almost every growing thing except the largest trees were drooping. It was dry. That's plenty of right. Yes, I remember we had to put special protective covers over car and truck exhaust pipes just to avoid a backfire spark from getting out. All tourists and hunters were kept out and anyone caught starting even a cooking fire was arrested and given a severe fine. It was dry all right. Really dry. I'm going to have to get a drink of water. You fellas don't stop reminding me. Tom and Pat are up in a fire tower seven late one afternoon. I doubled all fire tower watches just to make sure four eyes were better than two. Oh boy. I sure wish it would rain. I'm getting cross-eyed from watching. I guess we all are, Pat. I sure wish we'd get a month of rain. Pat, look over there. Where? What do you see? Isn't that smoke coming up alongside razor back ridge? No, you're seeing things. I don't see even a wisp of smoke. That's all I saw, the wisp. Maybe it's a haze. Pat, you're joking. We haven't got enough moisture for a drop of water to say nothing of a haze. That's right. I forgot for a moment how dry it is. I see it. You're right. It is smoke. I don't want to fix on it. You call Bill. Hey! Right. Keep a close watch and retain a constant fix. Use your radio telephone set up to talk to me from here on out. Goodbye. Fire? Yes. Henry, sound the alarm. I'm going to send the fire jumpers right in. I can't take a chance. Okay. Stumpy? Gray Wolf? Set up the crews and get the equipment ready to roll. Right away, Bill. Operator, give me the firefighter station at Long Mesa. It's an emergency. This could be real nasty, Mike. And how? A real, real nasty one, Jack. Hey, there's the fire. Right. Tell the pilot we're going down the first pass. No time to look it over. Bill's orders. Right. He's going down to make the first pass, Mike. Okay, boys. Hook your shoot straps to the wire and get ready to jump. Looking forward, Gray Wolf. Are the ground crews ready? All set to go. Fine. Bill, you're there? Go ahead, Tom. The fire is taking a two-pronged attack, one heading along the foot of Razorback Ridge and the other north, northwest toward Notty Pine. Are you sure of your readings now? Yeah. From what we can see from this tower, it's really a nasty one. Okay, Tom. Keep me posted on the progress of the fire. Right. Over and out. Tom. Yeah, Chief. Have the fire jumpers arrived yet? Yeah, they jumped about five minutes ago. Okay. Over and out. Stumpy, right here, Sonny. Take your crews out north highway and approach the fire from Old Coon Road. Start your back fire at Beaver Creek and take it from there. We're on our way. See you later. A Gray Wolf. Yes, Bill. Take your crews out the Old Mill Road. Go as far as you can across the Mesa with the trucks and then go on foot. Hold back the prong running along the foot of the ridge and back fire alongside it. You can't let that prong branch out or we'll be in real trouble. Oh, I understand. You can't let that prong of fire get away. You understand? I got it, Bill. Bill, this is Mike. Go ahead, Mike. We've got a ground and full tree fire in our hands. It's wicked. That's what I was afraid of. The fire is making a two pronged attack. I'll move back enjoying Gray Wolf as he comes in along the foot of the ridge. Okay. I'll move my men out right away. It's getting red hot here. Okay, Mike. Over and out. Where are we going to fight this fork-tongue monster? We're going into the center of it and keep the fork separated and not let it consolidate into a solid wall of flame. All right, let's go, men. With this one. Yeah. It's really a roaring, all right. You said it. Stay here by the radio, Henry. I'm going along the fighting line and see how the boys are making out. Okay, Bill. Stop it. Stop it. This is Henry. What's wrong? Everything. What do you see from the tower? Stumpy is being pushed back in a row. I saw a crowd two backfires, but all I did is throw the fire front around to the west. The fire's not heading right through the dynamite bank. It unfolds its present course. Yeah, a lot. That's bad. Tom, you and Pat try and stay in the tower as long as you can, safely. Then get out. You're right in the path of the fire as you can plainly see. I'll contact you again. Over and out. Now what? Listen carefully. First call a copter for me. Then call Gray Wolf. Tell him to send Mike and his firejumpers over to reinforce Stumpy. Also, as many of his own men as he thinks he can safely do without. I'm going to take as many men as we can spare here and send them to help Stumpy. Okay, Bill. Right away. Mike and his men are on their way. Gray Wolf released 20 men of his own. He says he's got his fire under control. It's in the process of letting itself burn itself out. Thank the Lord for that. Stumpy's up against the crosswind that's fanning his fire like crazy. I've released 10 men from our front and they're on their way. I'm going on this helicopter to the dynamite factory and have Stan evacuate it. Stick close by the radio. You shouldn't have any trouble holding the fire here. Right. Alert the other ranger districts that we might need help in a hurry. We can't let the fire get to the dynamite storage caves. Glad to see you. How's the fire? No good, Stan. You're going to have to evacuate your plant. No. We're cutting the scrub and grass. It's too late for that, Stan. The fire is already across Beaver Creek. Well, that's only five miles away. That's right. I'll get your records and your men and scrams. Okay. Why can't my men and I join your firefighters? I don't want green men in this one. Thanks anyhow. Now get along. Okay. All right, men. Get back to the plant. I guess my procrastination finally caught up with me, huh, Bill? Yes, Stan. We'll do all we can to save your plant. But I'm not going to endanger my men with those caves full of dynamite. Oh, that's all right. I'm insured for this. That's no consolation. Well, I've got to get back to the firefront. Now please do as I say and pull out of here on the double. How do you control this fire? You're right, Stubby. Getting wilder by the hour. Oh, it is falling back. It looks like that's what it is. Better take it off for beating. He's terrific. Henry, I'm going along the front and take a close look. You're ready all for reserve help. Tell Grey Wolf to get over here. Leave his crew in charge of an experienced man. Stubby, you rest a while. I'll take over. Henry, call fire jumper stations eight and nine. As soon as the men arrive, give them to the old timer. Then he can really leave some of his own crew. Right. Boy, this looks like a battle to the last ditch. Keep highways leading to Naughty Pine area clear. Be on the alert for convoys of firefighters moving in at high speed. Make sure nothing prevents these convoys from getting through to the fire areas. They're desperately needed. That is all. Sir, a conductor. Why are we stopping this sidetrack? Why? We're waiting for a high-balling fire spray to come through. You mean that he set the express aside for a freight? Well, this freight's carrying on man and equipment to the big forest fire up north. It's eight to worse than years. Forest fire at spring? Yep, rile, there, Mr. Mighty Bang. I'll say, there's really be some fire to move men and equipment like this. Yeah, Stubby. We're not licked yet. We're backing up, sonny. Right. Grey Wolf's cutting a new fire laying a mile in front of the dynamite factory. He's got fresh man and equipment. We should deliver the knockout blow there. Yeah, sir. And we should. Call the Air Force base and ask them to send bombers. I'll radio the bomb-run position just before they arrive. Come on, Pat. We're getting off this tower. And how? That thing jumped the fire lane like it wasn't there. Hey, man. Who are you, mister? And what are you doing up here? I'm Stan Woods. You're the guy that owns the dynamite plant. That's right. Well, what are you doing up here? Bill won't let me fight with a ground crew, so I thought I could maybe help up here. Oh, mister, you got holes in your head. We're leaving right now. Let's get on the ladder, but fast. Gotta make it, Tom. I'll say we're not. We waited too long. Thanks to you, mister. I'm sorry. It seems I can't do anything right anymore. I know you was crying about it. We'll go back up the tower and ready all Bill. Yeah, but we'll be killed if we stay up here. If not from the fire from the concussion of the dynamite. That's a whole mile away. I don't care if those caves go up, so will we. Let's not argue. Come on, start climbing. There's like jelly. Tom, are you still in the tower? And how? There's fire all around us that's hot up here. Why didn't you come down like I told you? Well, we don't made it just in time if Stan hadn't come up here. Oh, flesh. All right, keep calm and I'll get you off of the helicopter right now. Henry, get the airfield and the radio and direct them to tower five. We've got to get them off. It's no use. Order the men back to the edge of the prairie. We'll fight it out there. Are you giving up trying to save the dynamite plant? Didn't you hear those two caves go up? The three dozen more like it. You're deft trap. If we not get out now, we not get out at all. Order the men out. The bombers haven't arrived, so get them out. Here's a bill, Jefferson. Squadron leader to bill, Jefferson. Hello, squadron leader. Talk to us to the target. We'll dump our eggs. Okay. Circle until we get the men out. Right. We've got monster gas, so take your time. Pull all the men back on the double and then stand by to clean up isolated fire after the bombers finish their run. It's forgetting us off the tower, Bill. Praise the lord. You fellas are safe. Bill, I... Save it for later, Stan. Let's get back, men, so the bombers can make their run. You see the target? Yeah, we see the target. It's the area clear of the men. It's clear. Start your run any time you're ready. Here we come. Heads up. Good job of throwing dirt all over the fire. Stop it. Gray wolf, let's get in there and put out the isolated pockets of fire. I don't know how to thank you and your men for what you've done. It's our job, Stan. Forget it. You only lost four caves of inventory. I know, Bill. I'm never going to procrastinate again. You better not, young fella. Next time it might cost you your life. If you'd cleaned up around those caves, the fire couldn't have burned in there like it did. I know that now, Stumpy. I've learned my lesson. I'll never put off until tomorrow what can be done today. Yes, sir, that was some fire, and it sure was dry. Oh, it was dry like inside a flower barrel. Hey, you guys, cut it out. I'm going to have to go get a drink of water. Five times we get it to swell up, it's so dry. Yeah, that sure was a hot fire. Dynamite. Yes, the fellas can joke about the fire now after it's all over. Well, see you next week for more adventure with Our program today gives me Ranger Bill just a little time to talk to you moms and dads about our adventure stories and why we're on the air. We all know that every time a boy or girl listens to one of our programs, he gets some impression of the Christian life and the character of the people involved. So we must be constantly alert to guard the image that's presented, to make it realistic and truthful, neither setting up false ivory tower heroes for fellas and gals to aspire to, or creating the impression that Christianity is an impossible goal in this day and age. We also try to present Christians as people, something which they are. The faults of a Christian don't have to be glossed over, he's human too. So we try to present to you, the listener, a story that from your point of view is a factual photograph of a way of life, namely the Christian way, and showing individuals living, seeing, understanding this way of life, or maybe missing it completely. Let's all be honest before God so that truth can survive. And our young people will turn out to be the good citizens and real Christians that we want them to be.