US Forest Service Evicts Homeless from Oregon Forest for Wildfire Project

The U.S. Forest Service has evicted dozens of homeless individuals from encampments in Oregon's Deschutes National Forest to make way for a wildfire prevention project involving tree removal, debris clearing, and prescribed burns. Officials cited public safety concerns due to heavy machinery and fire operations, while emphasizing the closure applies to all users, not just the homeless. Although campers attempted to halt the evictions through a temporary restraining order, a federal judge ruled in favor of the project, highlighting the public interest in wildfire mitigation. The evictions drew criticism from homeless advocates, who questioned the timing amid broader federal directives to increase timber production, and spotlighted the region's ongoing housing crisis. Local officials in Bend, facing rising homelessness and housing costs, have responded by expanding outreach and safe parking areas for those displaced. The situation underscores the intersection of climate change-driven wildfire risks and the challenges of homelessness in the American West.