The Siletz Tribe’s annual Run to the Rogue scheduled Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15 has been canceled due to wildfires and smoke along the route.
This event is a 234-mile relay run/walk in memory of the Siletz tribal ancestors who were forcibly removed from their homeland in Rogue River country in the mid-1800s and marched north to Siletz and the confinements of the Coast Reservation. This annual relay run is the closest today’s tribal members can come to their ancestors’ experience on the journey from their homeland.
“The fires and smoke along the route are creating unsafe conditions for staff, tribal members and high risk groups,” tribal chief executive officer Kurtis Barker said in a news release. “Conditions can change with little notice and lack of cell reception creates additional challenges when planning. Local campgrounds are housing firefighters and our event would draw on resources the communities need to address these wildfires.”