Cycle Oregon was canceled Thursday because of wildfires in central and southern Oregon, where the weeklong ride had been scheduled to be held.

The fires pose too big of a safety threat for the 2,000 riders and hundreds of support staff, Cycle Oregon executive director Steve Schulz said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. The ride had been scheduled to start Sunday, Sept. 10, in La Pine and end back in the Deschutes County community on Saturday, Sept. 16.

What would have been the 30th anniversary ride marks the first time the event has been canceled.

"Fires are impacting five of our seven days with smoke and air quality levels ranging from unhealthy to hazardous," Schulz said in the statement. "Previously designed alternate routes are now affected with fire and smoke from both new and existing fires."

The statement noted that statewide "forecasts for the foreseeable future are for more hot, dry and windy weather with an associated increase in fire activity and smoke production."

Schulz said ride officials made the decision after consulting with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Oregon Department of Transportation "and others, and conducting on site personal meetings with Incident Commanders at the fires."

Schulz noted the "situation is unprecedented in Cycle Oregon history; we are in uncharted territory." He said the organization would communicate with riders by Wednesday about next steps including, presumably, a refund process.

In an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive, Schulz said the decision to cancel was made Thursday morning after a meeting with the nonprofit's staff and its board members.

At the meeting, Schulz described his visits with firefighting operations leaders as well as the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Firefighting managers made clear to him that "if we went down there we're just getting in the way," Schulz said, and that "they would prefer that we not be there."

Before reaching the decision to cancel, the staff and board explored creating a seven-day supported ride in parts of the state not experiencing wildfire and where the organization has experience staging a ride.

While Cycle Oregon has earned a reputation for effectively dealing with logistics, creating a seven-day ride a week in advance was deemed impossible. On top of that, there was the unpredictability of a lightning-caused fire erupting at any new location.

In 2015, wildfire forced the rerouting of Cycle Oregon in northeast Oregon -- one of the geographical areas considered at the board meeting for a makeshift ride.

Schulz said the nonprofit would follow through on financial commitments made to the host communities along the ride as well as vendors.

It's unclear, however, how much of a refund riders can expect. A decision on that is expected by Wednesday. The ride costs riders $999.

The route would have traveled from La Pine south to Diamond Lake followed by a day offering an optional ride up to Crater Lake National Park then around the rim. From there, it was north to Dorena Lake, then Oakridge, Rainbow, Tumalo and back to La Pine. Recent years have featured circular routes with the same start and finish point.

In presenting the route at the outset of the year, Schulz noted the spectacular scenery to accompany an event celebrating three decades. As it turned out, Oregon is experiencing one of its worst wildfire years in recent memory, and Cycle Oregon 2017 would have unwittingly offered a close-up view.

Riders grieved over the decision, but many said they understood the reasoning.

Ashley Horacek of Portland has ridden in seven of the rides.

"Sad, disappointed, upset," she said. "But understandable. What else could they do?"

Lane Cooper of Portland, who grew up in central Oregon and has ridden four of the events, said, "I'm shocked and thoroughly disappointed. I've been looking forward to the route ever since it was announced. ... It's hard to get my head around to think that there is enough fire and smoke across Oregon to shut down Cycle Oregon."

Nichole Lunsford of Portland, who rode in her first Cycle Oregon in 2016, said, "I feel awful for the organizers and for those who planned on going. It must have been an agonizing decision."

Bill Kemnitzer of Clackamas County has ridden in a dozen Cycle Oregons. For 10 of those, he's organized a group camp within the ride of about 30 friends and acquaintances.

He's disappointed, "but I am not surprised at Cycle Oregon's decision," Kemnitzer said. "I trust Cycle Oregon's judgment and I am confident their decision is in the best interest of the riders and volunteers."

But Kemnitzer is not giving up on the idea of cycling in Oregon in September.

"I am going to send out a general e-mail to our group tonight," he said. "I may try to put a mini Cycle Oregon together for a few days."

--Allan Brettman

503-294-5900

@allanbrettman