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 is a 501(c)3 formed exclusively for the following charitable purposes for Malden, Pine City, and the surrounding areas in Whitman County, Washington, that were devastated by the Babb Road Fire on September 7, 2020:
- To provide coordinated management of the long-term recovery process after the disaster and provide relief to the distressed.
- To provide long-term assistance to qualified individuals affected by a disaster.
- To assist disaster survivors with preparedness and mitigation.
- To provide advocacy for people most vulnerable to having their needs overlooked in disaster recovery process.
- To do everything necessary, proper, convenient or incidental to the accomplishment of the mission of this corporation consistent with the Washington State Nonprofit Corporation Act, as the same may be amended from time to time.
PCCRLTRO Board
Chandelle Frick, PCCRLTRO Acting Director
Christine Oakley, President
Vacant, Vice President
John Lenz, Treasurer + Malden Council Liaison
Scott Carlon, Board Member
Larry Frick, Board Member
Janell Turner, Board Member
OPERATIONS TEAM — CONTRACTED
Terry Eng, Accountant
John Goyke, Construction Manager, LTRO + Town of Malden
Robin Fahle Ohlgren, Communication and Outreach Specialist
OPERATIONS TEAM — VOLUNTEERS + AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES
Gerry Bozarth, Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Specialist, Spokane County Emergency Management
Scott Cooper, Director of Parish Social Ministries, Catholic Charities Eastern Washington
Matthew Gower, Behavioral Health Administrator, Washington State Health Care Authority
Margie Hall, Contract Manager, Community Development Block Grant Program, Washington State Department of Commerce
Julia Havens, Community Engagement Manager, Washington State Department of Commerce
Micki Harnois, Clerk, Town of Malden
Dan Harwood, Mayor, Town of Malden
Jeff Guyett, Director, Community Action Council
Paul Kimmell, Palouse Regional Business and Public Affairs Manager, Avista Corporation
Randy Kline, Statewide Trail Coordinator, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Eva Nguyen, Recovery Coordinator, United Policyholders
Jody Opheim, Grants Manager, Town of Malden
Scott Ferguson, Innovia Foundation
Bill Tensfeld, Director, Whitman County Emergency Management
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.
Contact Us
P.O. Box 47, Rosalia, WA 99170
Email: pccrltro@gmail.com | Tel: 509-939-6005
214 W. Moreland Avenue, Malden, WA