‘Where are we supposed to go?’: China Hat Road repaving delayed due to fire danger; homeless still worried about future

(Update: Adding video, comments from homeless)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Forest Service paving project that was set to begin later this week on China Hat Road south of Bend has been delayed indefinitely due to the high fire danger in the woods and the related shutdown of all industrial operations in the Deschutes National Forest.

When it does happen, the project will have homeless people living in the area concerned, as those living deep in the forest might have no safe way to come or go.

"With the road being closed for four months, where are we supposed to go?" Faith Perry, who lives off China Hat, said Monday.

The Forest Service confirmed in a news release earlier this year that the construction would not cause any camps to be moved, but those living in the area are still uncertain.

Perry has been homeless for three years, after losing her house during the pandemic, and recently moved to China Hat. 

"A lot of people do believe that it's a way to force us out," she said.

Perry does not own a vehicle and relies on walking or biking to nearby neighborhoods to get to Bend. Many of her neighbors with vehicles worry they could lose their jobs.

"There are a lot of people, if you drive further down the road and go in both ways. There are camps everywhere out here," Perry said.

During our interview with Perry, we received a phone call from the Forest Service about Monday's announcement that construction was delayed due to high fire risk.

After we shared the news, Perry said, "That's good. That's really great news. Because, like I said, there's just no place for a lot of these people to go."

The 3 1/2-mile paving project stretching from China Hat to Bessie Butte Road was expected to take until November to complete, even if it began now.

We've reported often on the problems the encampments have caused for nearby neighborhood Woodside Ranch: fire risk, police activity and trash. 

Perry says the closure will make getting food and water more difficult, but fears it will be worse for others.

"I have done it before with no help, you know? For a summer, I can do it again."

Here's the announcement of the delay issued Monday by the Deschutes National Forest:

Forest Service Road 18 Reconstruction Delayed Due to Hot and Dry Conditions

 The reconstruction project on Forest Service Road 18 (China Hat Road) on the Deschutes National Forest has been delayed. As a result of the delay, Forest Service Road 18 will not be closed on Thursday, August 1, as originally planned. 

Due to hot and dry conditions in Central Oregon, the Deschutes National Forest entered Industrial Fire Precaution Level IV “General Shutdown,” which requires a full shutdown of industrial activities on the Forest as of Thursday, July 25. Accordingly, the Forest Service Road 18 reconstruction project will be delayed until the weather moderates and the Forest is able to reduce restrictions on industrial operations. 

There is no new construction schedule established at this time. The public and partners will be notified as far in advance of construction activities as possible once a new schedule is established.

For more information or questions, please contact the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District at (541)383-5300.

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The Forest Service confirmed to NewsChannel 21 earlier this year that homeless camps in the area will not have to move. Rep. Cliff Bentz told KBND that camps should be evicted ahead of the construction.

Below is the Deschutes National Forest's original news release issued on the project back in March.

The Deschutes National Forest (DNF) plans to reconstruct approximately 3.5 miles of Forest Service Road (FSR) 18 this year.  

Depending on weather conditions, work may begin as soon as June and is expected to conclude by October. Both lanes of traffic will be closed while work is being done between the Forest boundary and FSR 1810 (Bessie Butte Road) to provide for public safety. While work is ongoing, areas on both sides of FSR 18 will be inaccessible to vehicle traffic. 

The condition of FSR 18 is deteriorating, and reconstruction will improve driving safety. FSR 18 is also a high-use road which provides primary access to public lands for recreation, resource management and wildfire response. Additionally, FSR 18 is the primary access road and timber haul route for thinning, mowing and mastication and prescribed burning operations within the 25,804-acre Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project south of Bend. 

The DNF is aware of areas of existing encampments where vehicle access from FSR 18 will be closed off during construction. Recent media reports have stated this construction effort will require that homeless and houseless encampments in the area be removed. At this time, the only anticipated action is a closure of FSR 18. Removal of camps is not expected to be needed to complete this work. Forest Service staff, along with partners, will work to notify these camps well in advance of the construction so that individuals in those camps can take proper measures to avoid being cut off once the work commences.  

As the implementation of mechanical fuels reduction and prescribed fire continues in the Cabin Butte Project area, camps will likely need to be relocated to allow for that work to occur over the next several years. The DNF will work with partners and communicate the timing and location of that work so that the fuels reduction work can be fully completed in the area.

The Forest recognizes the impacts that homeless and houseless encampments have on forest visitors and those who live near the DNF boundary. Houselessness in our National Forests is not an isolated problem but part of a broader societal issue that spans across city, county, state and federal jurisdictions. It requires a united, community-focused approach, recognizing that no single entity can address this challenge in isolation.