Danna Press, 15, is bored with her life and wishes the excitement of the fires around L.A. would reach Pinch Canyon, the prestigious, isolated development where she lives with her brother and her parents. While the adults are at work, the brushfires do reach the canyon. 

          At first, the neighborhood children want to stay and protect their homes, but they soon realize the fires are life threatening. Told in diary-style entries giving exact times and locations, all the action takes place between 3:15 and 4:55 P.M., creating a tightly knit story. 

          Although the many characters may prove a bit confusing at first, Cooney eventually succeeds in weaving their lives together into a life-and-death rescue. Realistic descriptions of how fires jump and spread, techniques used to fight them, and the thrill seekers and looters who prevent firefighters from doing their job are all skillfully integrated.