MALDEN, Wash — Two donated fire engines, additional volunteer fire fighters and a $3.7M grant are helping Malden and Pine City prepared for this year’s wildfire season.
The residents of these towns lost everything in the Babb Road Fire — their homes, safety and precious memories. To prevent this loss again, the towns are arming themselves against wildfires.
“I’m actually really scared and nervous because we have had no rain and everything is dry,” Pine City resident Christy Rieck told KREM 2’s Amanda Roley.
She is worried about the next fire that might hurt her community, and has every reason to be.
“We lost our garage our shop and guest house,” Rieck said. “Thank god, that we didn’t lose our house, but it was very close. If my husband didn’t come back at the time he did, we wouldn’t have our house.”
She is not taking any chances this year with wildfires, especially since she plans to work on harvest this summer.
“I have a huge Costco to-go box that will probably be in my car during harvest,” Rieck said. “We also keep watering our yard constantly and just praying that nothing like this will ever happen again.”
Malden’s Mayor, Dan Harwood is also worried for the town.
He told KREM 2, “In 2014, the town of Pateros was burned by wildfire. In 2015, the town of Pateros had another fire. We're no different than anyone else. We need to take as much proactive care as we can.”
But the community has already taken several steps preparing for the next wildfire.
In December, Commissioner Hilary Franz delivered a fire engine to replace the one Malden lost in the Babb Road fire.
Once the truck gets radios, lights, and a few more nozzles, it will be ready to use.
“It'll be one or two more weeks and we will have that truck operational,” Harwood said.
At the beginning of May, the Spokane Valley Fire Department donated one of its retired fire engines to the Malden Volunteer Fire Department.
In fact, on Wednesday the Malden Volunteer Fire Department sticker was just put on the truck.
“That is the most amazing truck that I've ever seen,” Harwood said. “But it will be able to be put into service fairly soon.”
According to Mayor Harwood, before the Babb Road fire, Malden’s volunteer fire department had six members. Some of those volunteer fire fighters have since moved away.
But now eight new members have signed up.
The Mayor is hopeful with more volunteers and new equipment, Malden will be in a better position this year to fight off wildfires.
“It takes time to bring this all together, but it's moving forward,” Harwood said
Malden also recently received a $3.7 million grant from the Washington Commerce Public Works Board.
Hardwood said that money will be used to put in a second well, and about 8,000 feet of new water lines for additional fire hydrants.
Meantime, Malden and Pine City residents are asked to do their part with fire prevention by making sure their homes are fire wise.
That includes keeping your lawn watered and cut low and removing any potential fire fuel that is close to your home.