SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
April 10, 2026 2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN
OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623 and 639
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
An upper-level trough currently offshore from northern California will
weaken tonight through Saturday as it moves NE and inland. Another upper low replaces it off the
California coast, together reinforcing moist and unstable SSW flow over West Oregon. Showers
increase with a chance of thunderstorms. Rainfall on Saturday and
into the evening will be commonly .50” to 1.00” except less in the North Coast
Range. Snow levels fall to 5-6000 feet
as temperatures are a little above normal north and below normal south. Mixing
conditions will be good with transport winds ranging from S to W.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The upper low passes over northern California on Sunday as flow over
West Oregon becomes weak from N. Showers,
with thunderstorms possible, continue with another .50” or more possible in the
Cascades, less elsewhere. Snow levels
look to be 4-5000 feet and temperatures below normal. Afternoon mixing potential is generally
moderate with light W-NW winds.
A
weak ridge arrives on Monday with light NW flow. Showers linger, mainly in the Cascades, under
mostly cloudy skies while temperatures continue below normal. Burning potential is very good with W transport
winds.
The next upper trough approaches from NW on Tuesday with
rain increasing across the north with only a chance of rain south. Snow levels will be 4-5000 feet. Mixing conditions on Tuesday improve through
the day with SW-WSW winds. Most precipitation
from this system will occur Tuesday night and on Wednesday when snow levels
fall throughout the day.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind S
to SW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW
to W at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
similar to afternoon.
Zone 605-611 and
639 (North Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
similar to morning.
Surface wind
increases to SW to W at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW
to W at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
1000 - 1500 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to NNE to ENE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
similar to afternoon.
Zone 616-623
(South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSE
to SW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to N to NE and decreases to 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
In the north
mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2400 to 3400 ft by late morning and
through the afternoon. In the south
mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning and
through the afternoon. Transport wind W
to NW at 5 - 9 mph. Surface wind light
and variable.
MONDAY
In the Coast
Range mixing height 4200 to 5000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft
during the afternoon. In the Cascades
mixing height 3500 to 4500 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during
the afternoon. Transport wind WSW to WNW
at 8 - 12 mph. Surface wind light and
variable.
TUESDAY
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 2600 to 3600 ft during the morning rising to 4400 to
5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind SW to WSW at 10 - 20 mph. Surface
wind light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph
during the afternoon.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE
WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, April 11 through 13, 2026.
=================================================================
For Saturday:
Coast Range
Zone 601, 612,
and 616 west of R8W
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. Restrict units in or near corridors to 750
tons or less. Higher tonnage is possible
south of T29S in Zone 616. Call the
forecaster.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Limit burning in or near corridors.
Units may be 900 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603.
Zone 615, 618,
619, and 620
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA. South of T35S in Zone 620 units should be 750
tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T29S. Call the forecaster.
Cascades
Zone 605, 606,
607, 608, 639, 610, 617, 620, 622, and 623
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to
dissipate. From T18S through T22S in
Zone 608 units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart.
Zone 611 and 616
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. In zone 616 avoid ignitions north of
T24S. South of T29S higher tonnage is
possible - call the forecaster.
Siskiyous
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
For Sunday:
Coast Range
Zone 601 and 612
Units should be
1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Restrict units in or near corridors to 500
tons or less.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
400 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Limit burning in or near corridors. Higher tonnage is possible south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603. Call the
forecaster.
Zone 615 and 616
west of R8W
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S in
Zone 616. Call the forecaster.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T29S. Call the forecaster.
Zone 618 and 619
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Cascades
All zones except
Zone 610 and 611
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to
dissipate. From T15S through T20S in
Zone 608 units should be 900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.
Zone 610 and 611
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
For Monday:
Coast Range
Zone 601, 612,
and 616 west of R8W
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. Restrict units in or near corridors to 750
tons or less.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Limit burning in or near corridors.
Units may be 900 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603.
Zone 615, 618,
and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of
T30S.
Zone 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Cascades
Zone 605, 606,
607, 608, and 639
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to
dissipate. From T15S through T20S in
Zone 608 units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart.
Zone 610 and 623
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 611, 616,
and 617
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620 and 622
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
==============================================================
4. SPECIAL NOTES:
The ODF forecast smoke zones differ from
the NWS fire zones and
are available at:
https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/documents/smoke-forecast-zone-map.pdf
Call the smoke management duty forecaster
at (503) 945-7401 to
discuss burning. Please do not call
individual's numbers to
discuss daily burning. If the forecaster is
not available,
leave a message and they will return your
call as soon as possible.
Avoid calling between 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
The forecast is available on the Internet
at:
http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/
Daily/smi.htm
Please ensure your units have been planned
and accomplished by
checking:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Burn.aspx
A map of planned and/or accomplished burns
is located at:
http://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html
?id=a7e321dc8fc444b7a33fbc67bc673a3b
The forecast/instruction telephone
recording is: (503) 945-7400.
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the
email list for this
product, please go to the link:
http://weather.smkmgt.com/mailman/listinfo/
5. STANDARD GUIDANCE MATRIX:
* Greater than 5000 ft mixing height: Limit
to 150 tons per mile
from downwind SSRAs. Example: 75 tons
allowed if burned a half
mile from a downwind SSRA.
* 3000 - 5000 ft mixing height: Limit to 50
tons per mile if burning
within 5 miles of downwind SSRAs. Limit to
100 tons per mile if
burning 5 miles or beyond downwind SSRAs.
Example #1: 200 tons allowed if burned 4
miles from a downwind SSRA.
Example #2: 500 tons allowed if burned 5
miles from a downwind SSRA.
* Less than 3000 ft mixing height: No burning
within 5 miles of
downwind SSRAs. Limit to 60 tons per mile
from downwind SSRAs.
Example: 300 tons allowed if burned 5 miles
from a downwind SSRA.
* Ensure adequate spacing between units when
burning near downwind
SSRAs.
* Use of polyethylene (PE) sheeting on
greater than 75 percent of
piles in a unit with 60 percent coverage
per pile will allow a
50 percent increase in tonnage over the
existing instruction tonnage
for that zone.
* All exceptions must be coordinated with the
duty forecaster
prior to ignition.
6. BURN MONITORING:
Burns over 2000 tons must be monitored (OAR
629-048-0230(3) -
7/1/14). Monitoring of all burns is highly
recommended for both
smoke management purposes and wildfire
potential.