Malden, Pine City celebrate recovery from 2020 firestorm

MALDEN – The communities of Malden and Pine City, located in northern Whitman County mostly destroyed by a firestorm in 2020, hosted a public event on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 2 -5 p.m. celebrate recovery efforts.

Two years ago the Babb Road Fire destroyed most of the buildings in the communities, torching over a hundred homes, and 15,000 acres.

The Pine Creek Community Resoration Long Term Recovery Organization and the Town of Malden hosted the event, called Malden-Pine City Revival. The event included free hot dogs, games, live music, and door prizes.

Continuing wildfire recovery efforts are being celebrated. There is a new temporary fire station 24 new homes have been constructed. A new trailhead for the Malden Palouse to Cascades Trail is being built, the wildfire cleanup phase is complete, and fiber optic internet has been installed.

A cell tower is under construction. An electronic reader board will soon be installed in Malden to help keep residents informed of urgent information.