SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
June 5, 2026
2:30 PM Pete Parsons
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We Need Your Feedback!
The Smoke
Management Department is planning to “upgrade” this product so that it more
effectively meets your needs. To assist
us with this project, we are requesting feedback from you!
Below are a few
questions to help you consider what changes would be most beneficial for
you. All ideas are welcome!
Is the “Short-Term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
Is the “Long-term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
How could the
“Dispersion” forecast better meet your needs?
Is the “Outlook”
useful? What would enhance it?
Are the “Burning
Instructions” clear and concise? How
could they be improved for your use?
How do you access
the forecast product (i.e., Email; web page; telephone recording)?
We are considering
discontinuing or upgrading the phone recording of the forecast product. Is that something you currently use? Would you use it if you could get your
specific forecast from it faster?
Please Email your
feedback to: Peter.GJ.Parsons@odf.oregon.gov
Thank you!
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1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623 and 639
SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION
A weak cold front brought scattered light showers to the NW
zones with increasing onshore flow and cooler temperatures across all zones
today. Skies have remained mostly sunny
across the extreme southern and eastern zones, but NW winds have turned brisk this
afternoon in the eastern Columbia Gorge and across central Oregon.
A cool upper-level trough will sweep inland over Washington
and Oregon on Saturday with scattered showers developing over the northern zones
and snow levels dropping to below 5000 feet.
Rainfall totals may locally exceed .10”.
The southernmost zones will see some clouds but should remain dry. All zones will see temperatures cool to about
10°F below average with good daytime mixing.
Expect brisk west winds in the Columbia Gorge and across Central Oregon
in the afternoon.
Westerly flow aloft continues Sunday, with the region
between weather systems. Onshore flow relaxes
with skies turning partly sunny north and mostly sunny south. Mixing should be good with temperatures recovering
to near average. The next weather system
increases clouds late with rain pushing across coastal areas Sunday night.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Monday’s weather system is expected to be more expansive than
its predecessor. Areas of rain will
spread across all zones with snow levels from 7-8000 feet. Temperatures cool back to about 10°F below
average. Rainfall may reach .50” across the
NW zones and .25” south and east. Mixing
will be good with SE-SW winds.
Another cold upper-level trough keeps showers falling across
all zones on Tuesday and drops snow levels to near 5000 feet north and 6000
feet south. Increasing onshore flow and cooling
aloft will hold daytime temperatures to about 10-15°F below average with additional
precipitation totals mostly from .10” to .25”.
Mixing remains good, but west winds may turn brisk in the afternoon
across the eastern Columbia Gorge and in Central Oregon.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 3000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 8 - 12 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW
to W at 12 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SW
to W at 9 - 15 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Zone 605-611 and
639 (North Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 3000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind SW
to W at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind SW
to W at 8 - 12 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind W
at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 10 - 20 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind W
to WNW at 15 - 25 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 3000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to NW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 8 - 14 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NW at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind W to
NW at 5 - 9 mph.
Zone 616-623
(South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 3000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind W
to NW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind W to
NW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind WNW
to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind WNW
to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
In the north
mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning
rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.
In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft
by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph during
the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind SE to S at 4 - 8 mph during the
morning becoming SW to W at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
MONDAY
Mixing height
2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at
8 - 14 mph during the morning becoming S to SSW at 12 - 24 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind SE to S at 4 - 8
mph.
TUESDAY
Mixing height
3500 to 4500 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind SW to W at 15
- 25 mph during the morning becoming WSW to W at 18 - 32 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind SW to W at 8 -
14 mph during the morning becoming WSW to W at 12 - 22 mph during the
afternoon.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, June 6 through 8, 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.
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, 639, 616, 617, and 623
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 622
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Zone 611
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620
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. Ensure adequate distance from downwind
SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
For Sunday:
Coast Range
Zone 601, 612,
618, and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
1200 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.)
Zone 615
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616 west of
R8W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T29S. Call the forecaster.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T29S. Call the forecaster.
Zone 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Cascades
All zones except
zone 611
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
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 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, 602,
603, 612, 615, 616 west of R8W, 618, 619, and 620
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
1500 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. Verify transport winds away
from SSRA if burning within 10 miles of the SSRA in Zone 605 and 606.
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.
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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.