Tree making contact with power line started eastern WA fire, utility company says

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A utility company says a tree that made contact with a power line apparently started a wildfire that burned dozens of homes in eastern Washington.

The fire burned the vast majority of homes in Malden and Pine City, including over 100 homes in Malden alone.

Avista Utilities spokeswoman Casey Fielder confirms a burned tree found by Spokesman-Review staff was the fire’s apparent starting point Sept. 7.

This as Eastern Washington Latino leaders are calling the wildfires a humanitarian crisis as thousands of migrant farm workers are burned out of the jobs and homes.

Sunday, the governor’s office said in an email that they are assessing the situation, trying to determine the scope.