BEND, Ore. — Dozens of unhoused individuals camping in the China Hat area south of Bend were forced to leave this week as the U.S. Forest Service launched a yearlong wildfire fuel reduction project. The closure, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, comes with the threat of steep fines or arrest for those who remain.
Roughly 100 people had been living in the area, many for months or even years. New signs warning of the road closure went up Wednesday, and Forest Service officials moved to enforce the evacuation as part of a broader effort to reduce wildfire risk across Central Oregon.
Efforts to stop the sweep through legal channels were unsuccessful. A federal judge on Tuesday denied a temporary restraining order that would have halted the closure and allowed homeless residents to remain in place during the proceedings.
The decision and the resulting displacement have drawn concern from housing advocates, who argue that without alternative shelter options, those being evicted are being pushed into more dangerous and unstable situations.
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., addressed the broader issue Wednesday during an interview with Central Oregon Daily, though he stopped short of commenting directly on the China Hat closure. He emphasized the need to address the root causes of homelessness.
“This is something that is kind of a reflection of challenges of the cost of housing, of mental health issues, often addiction issues, and we need to tackle all of those issues and do it in a gracious fashion,” Merkley said.
He added that local, state, and federal governments need to build a more robust support system for unhoused residents—ranging from sanctioned campgrounds to shelters and long-term housing solutions.
The China Hat closure highlights the increasing strain between public land management efforts and the ongoing homelessness crisis in Central Oregon. For many of those displaced, the future remains uncertain as local shelters remain at or near capacity.
Officials say the fuel reduction work in the area is expected to last at least a year.
