Not much is left of the small town of Malden. A fire decimated the Northern Whitman County community on Labor Day.
“It’s still really overwhelming. It just seems like every day there’s a long to-do list,” said Jessica Graham.
For Jessica and Matthew Graham, as well as their five young children, the last few weeks have been a blur.
When they left their home over Labor Day weekend to visit family, they had no idea that was the last time they’d see their home still standing.
Soon after, they got word of a fast-moving wildfire tearing through their town. Miles away, they soon learned not much would be spared.
“With 80% of the town gone, it was just like what chances did we have? So I lost hope at that point,” Jessica Graham said.
Then they got confirmation that their home was gone. They lost everything. As they tried to wrap their heads around the devastation, things got worse.