ODOT homeless camp cleanup at Revere Ave./Bend Parkway to remove fire hazards, people if necessary

(Update: Adding video, comments from ODOT, homeless camp resident)

Camper: 'It's the polite thing to do, because they're allowing us to stay on their land'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The homeless camps off of the Bend Parkway at Northeast Revere Avenue are set to be cleaned next Monday, but officials say it will involve little to no removal of people, if possible. 

Peter Murphy , Region 4 spokesman with the Oregon Department of Transportation, said ODOT will be removing trash and structures at about a dozen camps in the area and will only order people to leave if necessary.

"We find that if we can clean an area and maintain it in that way that we can continue with the way things are,” Murphy said Thursday. 

As summer approaches, Murphy says fire safety is a top priority.

"If there's a fire hazard -- and we've heard reports that there are fires -- that's not acceptable next to the highway,” Murphy said. 

ODOT plans to clean and remove any safety or fire hazards at the site. 

McKinley Morrill, a resident in the campsite area, said he completely understands if any of the objects he owns are fire hazards and need to be removed

"It's the polite thing to do, because they're allowing us to stay on their land,” Morrill said. 

Morrill says he has been living at this site for a little over a month, as well as constructing a makeshift home out of spare wood pieces he's found.

He says ODOT has notified him his structure is a fire hazard and will be removed.

Murphy said ODOT has posted signs and gave notice of the entire clean up 10 days in advance.

"So they politely came and notified me and gave me plenty of time in advance and just said they would appreciate it if I just stopped the building and just notified that they'd be taking it down,” Morril said. 

Morrill said when they come, he won't take any opposition, actually the opposite.

"I'll probably hop in and help them out,” Morrill said. "I respect them and thank them that they still will allow me to stay here."

Murphy emphasized the goal of the cleanup is to keep the people who live there and the people accessing the parkway safe.

"We don't go in to remove intentionally,” Murphy said. “We go in to remove articles, to remove hazards, to remove potential fire danger."

If anyone is asked to move, Murphy says ODOT is in contact with Deschutes County, the Shepherd's House and Central Oregon Veterans Outreach.