Parks and Recreation Fends Off Wild Park and recreation professionals across the United States protect local land and communities from wildfire By Jennifer Fulcher W hen a wildfire, known as the Holiday Farm Fire, swept across Oregon in September 2020, staff at Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Springfield, Oregon, had to take on new roles in the community: disaster responders. Even though the wildfire stopped about six miles away from the park district's borders, locals experienced a tense week of thick smoke, air quality warnings, mandatory evacuations and the imminent threat of a destructive wildfire. 34 Parks & Recreation | A P R I L 2 02 1 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G