On September 7, 2020 wildfires raged through northern Whitman County, Washington, fanned by wind gusts as high as 50 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.