In central Oregon, the U.S. Forest Service began evicting numerous homeless individuals residing in the Deschutes National Forest on Thursday. This move comes as part of a wildfire prevention strategy aimed at clearing smaller trees, removing debris, and conducting controlled burns over extensive tracts of land.
The decision to enforce the closure of this forest encampment coincides with the federal government’s long-awaited plans to enhance forest management and elevate timber production to mitigate wildfire risks. This action follows a recent executive order from the Trump administration calling for increased timber production across U.S. national forests.
Kaitlyn Webb, a Deschutes National Forest spokesperson, clarified via email that the closure aligns directly with forest restoration efforts. Meanwhile, advocates for the homeless have highlighted the timing of the eviction as suspicious, noting its proximity to recent announcements of expanded logging activities.
Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center suggested the closure’s timing was strategic, pointing to the link between the eviction and broadened logging access. Attempts to obtain commentary from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region regarding the situation were unsuccessful.
Webb emphasized that the closure is non-discriminatory, impacting all groups, whether for recreational day use or overnight camping. With the presence of heavy machinery and the execution of controlled burns, the area is deemed unsafe for public access.
On the night preceding the eviction, those residing in the encampment quickly dismantled their temporary homes, which included trailers, RVs, and tents under the forest’s overarching pines. Some faced challenges in relocating, even as the area’s main road was shut down early Thursday, leaving the number of remaining occupants unclear.
The eviction effort fits into a broader plan which the U.S. Forest Service has been meticulously crafting over several years to address wildfire mitigation in the region. The Deschutes National Forest has seen a rise in the number of people living there due in part to economic difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic, as stated by Rabinowitz.
Under the previous federal administration, exemptions to environmental regulations were introduced to expedite logging projects aiming to curb wildfire threats. Whether these measures will successfully increase timber output remains uncertain, as President Biden’s administration also supported increased logging in national forests to tackle growing wildfire intensities linked to climate change.
The current forest restoration initiative, known as the Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project, encompasses approximately 30,000 acres, necessitating closures within the Deschutes National Forest. According to officials, the project’s objective is to reduce fire hazards while restoring damaged habitats near Bend, and the affected recreational sites will remain inaccessible until next April.
With multiple vehicles and staff stationed at the forest’s access road, a notice indicates a temporary emergency closure of at least one year, warning of potential penalties including jail time or fines for violators.
On Wednesday, the night before the eviction, Mandy Bryant, a long-time resident of the encampment, expressed the palpable anxiety and despair felt among those affected. An attempt to halt the closure through a restraining order was made by residents like Bryant but was denied by U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane.
In his ruling, McShane emphasized the higher public interest in wildfire prevention and habitat restoration over the personal interests of those residing on the site. Webb reaffirmed that the Forest Service is promoting peaceful compliance but is prepared to enforce the closure for public safety.
These developments mark a significant shift in the Deschutes National Forest’s management, balancing ecological restoration with the human impacts of eviction.