The Pine Creek Community Long-Term Recovery Organization

On September 7, 2020 wildfires raged through northern Whitman County, Washington, fanned by wind gusts as high as 70 mph. The Babb Road Fire consumed more than 15,000 acres of Palouse farmland and habitat and engulfed the towns of Malden and Pine City, forcing nearly 200 residents to evacuate.

The fast-moving fire consumed the Town of Malden in 2 ½ hours, spewing briquette-sized embers and destroying 80% of the Town’s buildings, many down to their foundations. Among the rubble are the majority of homes and the town’s only post office, town hall, fire station, food bank, and library.

Eighty  percent of the homes and buildings were burned, many down to their foundations, leaving the streets in rubble. The community was most fortunate that there was no loss of human life.

In the aftermath of the fire, community leaders came together to think about the future. How will we recover? How will we be better prepared for the next crisis?

The outcome of these conversations is the Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization (LTRO). The LTRO has been dedicated to learning about the impacts of the fire, securing resources to help individuals and families, and mapping a pathway to recovery.

Our Mission

The Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization The purpose of the PCCRLTRO is to ensure that the Pine Creek Community – its individuals
and collectivities – continues to build a thriving locality that supports social, environmental
and economic well-being.

 

  1. The Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization (PCCRLTRO) is a
    nonprofit volunteer organization serving the people of Malden and Pine City to:
    1. Coordinate long-term recovery from the September 2020 Babb Road fire with the
    residents and leadership of the towns of Malden and Pine City;
    2. Create a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable community through activities that
    enhance civic engagement and vitality;
    3. Pursue funding opportunities that support community and environmental
    sustainability;
    4. Enhance partnerships with residents, governmental entities, organizations and
    other stakeholders to increase community resiliency;
    5. Provide opportunities for residents to act locally for the benefit of shared interests.

Our 2025 Goals & Accomplishments

  1. Strengthen Collaboration with the Town of Malden
  2. Community Engagement
  3. Define Future Role for PCCRLTRO
  4. Create Transition Plan from Restoration to Resilience
  5. Create Revenue Stream Plan
  6. Health and Well Being
  7. Local Economy                                       

What We Have Accomplished

Recovery

  • Developed a transparent budgetary process that enables the management of all donated and granted funds with fiscal responsibility
  • Served as the fiscal manager for donated and grant funding for restoration and recovery immediately after the 2020 Babb Road Fire
  • Funded and oversaw case management through the unmet need’s roundtable
  • Oversaw the distribution of Red Cross funds for materials to construct six volunteer-built homes
  • Facilitated Center for Disaster Philanthropy grant a local construction manager to oversee the construction of six volunteer-built homes
  • Designed and managed the Resident Request Program to assist 71 residents with their rebuilding needs
  • Wrote and received grant funding for the following:

 o new playground equipment, four picnic tables, and a covered picnic shelter for the Malden Community Park

 o debris clean-up for the town of Malden

 o two bicycle repair stations

  • Assisted residents complete commerce appliance program requirements
  • Provided funding for the reconstruction of Pine City’s Stone Church bell Community Engagement
  • Acted as the fiscal agent for the town of Malden immediately after the Babb Road fire Approved 11/21/2025
  • Facilitate the ongoing weekly town of Malden Operations’ Team meeting to discuss and identify solutions for recovery, restoration and resiliency challenges
  • Facilitate the ongoing monthly meeting of representatives from local, county, state and federal agencies engaged in the current and future recovery and restoration of the Pine Creek Community
  • Facilitate a monthly community engagement meeting to share PCCRLTRO activities and solicit resident input and participation
  • Distribute a quarterly newsletter
  • Maintain a website to provide resources, news and a pictorial history of events since the Babb Road Fire
  • Maintain an open Facebook page
  • Host an annual Fall Festival to foster community pride and celebrate resiliency
  • Collaborate with residents to host annual Easter Egg Hunts and Halloween Trunk or Treat
  • Foster an ongoing partnership with the Malden Mayor and Town Council for collaboration and coordinated mutually beneficial action
  • Provided an opportunity for Malden Youth to assist residents with yard care needs
  • Secure annule holiday pie donations for the Malden Food Bank Parks and Greenspaces
  • Take an active role in implementing the Malden Community Park Plan
  • Serve on the Malden Park’s Committee • Submitted grants to rebuild Malden Community Park’s basketball court
  • Partner with 3 Forks Bikes to construct a pump track in Malden Community Park
  • Partner with WA State Parks to support the reconstruction and maintenance of those segments of the Palouse to Cascades Trail damaged in the Babb Road fire
  • Partner with Pine Creek Conservation District to participate in shared projects
  • Support Pine City initiatives for new and historic town markers Looking Forward The future provides great opportunities to continue to build a thriving Pine Creek Community engages socially, economically and environmentally through the following long-term initiatives:
  • Facilitate community-wide events designed to bring people together
  • Continue to collaborate with leadership of Malden and Pine City to support civic initiatives • Offer activities that utilize Malden’s community kitchen
  • Coordinate outdoor activities that utilize the Palouse to Cascades Trail, Malden Community Park, and adjacent woodlands and ecosystems
  • Advocate for and support local formal and informal businesses and start ups
  • Continue to seek funding for community identified initiatives

 

 

PCCRLTRO Board

Chandelle Frick, PCCRLTRO Executive Director

Christine Oakley, President

Scott Carlon, Vice President

Larry Frick, Treasurer

Kim Heck, Board Member

Bob Law, Board Member

 

OPERATIONS TEAM — STATEWIDE REPRESENTATIVES

Scott Cooper, Director of Parish Social Ministries, Catholic Charities Eastern Washington

Annica Eagle, Eastern Washington Regional Director, Washington State Department of Commerce

Chandelle Frick, Clerk and Treasurer, Town of Malden

Matthew Gower, Behavioral Health Administrator, Washington State Health Care Authority

Jeff Guyett, Director, Community Action Center

Dan Harwood, Mayor, Town of Malden

Julia Havens, Community Engagement Managing Director, Washington State Department of Commerce

Jon Holmes, WA State Public Assistance/Emergency Management Division

Joshua Kaiel, Innovia Foundation

Paul Kimmell, Palouse Regional Business and Public Affairs Manager, Avista Corporation

Paul Knowles, Trails Program Manager, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Christine Oakley, Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization

Scott Rivas, SCJ Alliance

Molly Sanchez, Innovia Foundation

Bill Tensfeld, Director, Whitman County Emergency Management

Gary Urbas, WA State Public Assistance/Emergency Management Division

Jennifer Wallace, Executive Director, Palouse Habitat for Humanity

Get in Touch. Get Involved.

Send us a message if you need recovery assistance or have ideas about helping our community rebuild.

Tell us how we are doing.  We want to hear from you.

 PCCRLTRO@gmail.com

Contact Us

P.O. Box 178,  Malden WA 99149

Email: pccrltro@gmail.com  |   Tel: 509-939-6005

14 W. Moreland Avenue, Malden, WA