‘Every day, there’s a new camp’: Juniper Ridge homeless say there’s no room for new camps as BLM closes 40 acres

(Update: Adding video, comments from BLM, homeless)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Trucks piled rocks at the entrances to BLM land Wednesday, next to Bend's largest homeless camp, at Juniper Ridge. The deadline for the homeless in the area to leave is just days away.

"We start to get an accumulation of trash. There's an accumulation of human waste. Because they're not dispersing and going camping in other areas," Bureau of Land Management Field Manager Lisa Clark told KTVZ News on Wednesday.

Beginning next Sunday, June 1st, the BLM's Prineville District announced Tuesday it will temporarily close around 40 acres of public land between Bend and Redmond, due to problems caused by long-term unauthorized camping.

The BLM's camping rule is 14 days, but many have camped in the area long past that time. 

"Technically, if somebody is houseless, then they're actually not camping on public lands. And it technically is illegal from the first night," Clark said. "We tend to be a little bit more lenient, because the regular camping rule is for 14 days, and then you need to move 25 miles."

The BLM said the closure is due to "growing public health, safety, and environmental concerns cause(d) by unauthorized long-term non-recreational camping."

The closure will last until a date yet to be determined and will affect land on the east and west sides of Highway 97 and north of the overpass.

BLM stated that "during the closure, people are prohibited from entering the area for any reason, including hiking, driving, mountain biking, and dispersed camping." 

But the homeless living in Juniper Ridge, like Brooklyn Lamb, say they are running out of room, as those in the closed area move closer.

"Camps keep rolling in. Every day, there's a new camp that rolls in," she said.

The area known as "Dirt World" has seen a mass increase of campers this month, after the Forest Service closed the Bend area's other largest homeless camp, south of the city on China Hat Road.

It's estimated that more than 200 people were moved, bringing nearly half to Juniper Ridge while the others camp on city streets. 

Lamb said, "We know Bend wants to get rid of the homeless community. They're never going to go anywhere. There's always going to be a homeless somebody somewhere in the United States."

A map detailing the closed areas can be found below and on the BLM’s website: https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/5IjnC31PDQSxnvYDFgfjfQO9HJ?domain=blm.gov

Deschutes County and the City of Bend own the land surrounding the closure. The two agreed last fall to close much of the city— and county-owned land at Juniper Ridge north of Bend to homeless campers by May 31 and provide a “temporary safe stay” area with services on part of the property.

Dispersed camping for up to 14 days is generally allowed on BLM-administered lands.  

"Public lands are open for everyone to enjoy, and short-term camping typically doesn’t cause lasting harm," Clark said. "But when people stay well beyond that and ignore the rules, the damage adds up quickly. We do everything we can to avoid closing areas, but in this case, the conditions have become unsafe and unsustainable. We were left with no choice."

BLM said its staff will assess the site after the closure begins to determine the extent of the damage and develop a plan for repairs, restoration and determine a reopening date. 

KTVZ will provide further updates on this closure as we learn more.