(Whitman County Fire District 11/Contributed)Swipe or click to see moreWildfires prompted evacuation alerts around the Eastern Washington towns of Malden, Rosalia and Colfax Aug. 8. The Palouse River Fire is about 637 acres, located about 3 miles west-northwest of Colfax. Train trestleA train trestle that burned in the Palouse River Fire was part of the inactive rail line between Colfax and Pullman. Washington State University was once a major user of the rail line, receiving coal for its steam plant, Druffel said. After the trestle burned in August 2006, rail deliveries from Spokane, then totaling more than 44,000 tons annually, were rerouted to use the Spokane, Spangle and Palouse rail line, bringing shipments south through Palouse, Wash.