Labor Day firestorm devastates county towns

MALDEN—While the day started with firefighting efforts in Colfax, the greatest need and destruction occurred to the north. According to a press release put out by the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, shortly after 12 p.m., while crews were still working on Colfax Fires, it was reported that a fire was moving at a fast rate of speed from the north, believed to have originated on Babbs Road in Spokane County. The Malden Fire was being fueled by extremely high winds, standing timber and dry fields. Members of the Sheriff’s Office immediately responded to the town of Malden once they were notified...