Published 11:09 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026 As wildfire concerns grow across Central Oregon, the Bend Park and Recreation District is expanding forest thinning and fuels reduction work across thousands of acres in and around the city. District staff on Tuesday updated the board of directors on recent projects and outlined plans to scale up vegetation management in the coming years, with a focus on improving forest health while reducing wildfire risk near neighborhoods. Unlike individual homeowners, the district focuses on large-scale resilience across public lands, often in areas where natural spaces border residential development. “A lot of our acreage is here in town or just outside city limits in the wildland-urban interface,” said Zara Hickman, the district’s natural resources and trails manager. “It’s an interesting balance to make sure we’re improving forest resiliency while also being good neighbors.” The work comes as Central Oregon re-enters a period of drought after two relatively wet years.…