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Organizers of the Two Bear Marathon in Whitefish have called off the race set for Sunday due to a thick layer of wildfire smoke that has settled on the valley.

“After much consideration, we will be canceling the Two Bear Marathon due to wildfire smoke,” Art Krueger, director of The Wave, said in a press statement Friday. “As always, the health and well-being of our runners and volunteers is of the utmost importance. We are beyond thankful to the community, who came out in strides to help pull off this year’s marathon. We look forward to work on next year’s run, and hope to make it an even bigger community event.”

A race barbecue on Sunday is still planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Depot Park in Whitefish.

The annual marathon this year was to debut a new course as the race gained status as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Proceeds from the Two Bear Marathon goes toward The Wave Scholarship Fund.

Columbia Falls and Bigfork home soccer matches on Friday and today with Belgrade and Livingston were canceled. Flathead and Glacier were scheduled to host Missoula Big Sky and Missoula Hellgate today in Western AA soccer action, but those have also been postponed and will be rescheduled. Today’s Hamilton at Libby soccer match has been canceled.