SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
****************** Thanksgiving
Weekend Schedule ********************
The ODF forecast
office will be closed from Thursday, November 27th through Sunday, November
30th. This forecast includes burning
instructions through Sunday (4 days).
Burning instructions for Monday, December 1st, will be issued Sunday
afternoon.
For questions
regarding prescribed burning planned for this period, please call the forecast
office at 503-945-7401 prior to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26th or after 7
a.m. on Monday, December 1st.
Happy
Thanksgiving!
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* Special Protection Zone (SPZ) provisions apply from
November 15 through February 15.
Prescribed burning is not allowed in an SPZ from December 1 through
February 15 on days when the daily woodstove “Ordinance” is “Exempt Wood
Burning Device” or “No Burning Period.”
Burning is allowed inside of SPZs all other days, but please use extra
precautions and limit forestland burning to units that will not worsen air
quality within nearby SSRAs. *
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1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN
OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623 and 639
Rain moves onshore for Thanksgiving with
an upper-level trough and SW flow aloft.
Heavier rain totals are likely north with amounts from 0.10-0.50” while
southern zones can expect less than 0.05”.
Surface winds will come from SSE-SSW.
Increasing transport winds will be from SW. Mixing heights improve some on the coast but
stay fair to poor inland.
A few showers linger north for Friday
with amounts under 0.10”. Flow aloft
will come from NW behind the upper-level trough. Surface winds will be light and variable,
somewhat from E-S. Transport winds will
be light from S in northern zones and variable in southern zones. Temperatures will be near to above
average. Mixing heights will be fair to
good.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Saturday will be mostly dry with NW
flow aloft. A weak trough will move
north and east of the region with a slight chance of showers north. Light and variable surface winds will come
with transport winds generally from NW.
Seasonable temperatures will come with lowering mixing heights.
Dry weather on Sunday will have N flow
aloft as upper-level ridging builds offshore.
Light winds will come from NE-E. Temperatures
will be near average. Mixing heights
will be poor north and fair south.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind ESE
to S at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 15 - 25 mph.
Surface wind
shifts to S to SW and increases to 9 - 15 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 18 - 30 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.
Zone 605-611 and
639 (North Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 800 ft early rising to 1300 - 2300 ft by late morning.
Transport wind S
to SW at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind ESE
to S at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind
shifts to S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
1000 - 2000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 1300 - 2300 ft by late morning.
Transport wind S
to SW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind SSE
to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 12 - 24 mph.
Surface wind S to
SW at 6 - 10 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.
Zone 616-623
(South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 1000 - 1700 ft by late morning.
Transport wind S
to SW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable but favors S and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind
increases to SSW to WSW at 12 - 24 mph.
Surface wind
increases to S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
1800 to 2800 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind S to SW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming ESE to
S at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
Surface wind light and variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1100 to 2100 ft by late morning rising to 1700 to
2700 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable during the morning becoming W to NNW at 4 - 8 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 1800 to
2800 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind NE to E at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind light and variable.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE
WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Thursday through
Sunday, November 27 through 30, 2025.
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For Thursday:
Coast Range
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
Zone 601
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind
SSRAs. North of Tillamook, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Units may be 900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603.
Zone 612
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 615, 616
west of R8W, 618, 619, and 620
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
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S -
call the forecaster.
Cascades
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
All zones except
zone 611
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
Zone 611
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m.***
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
For Friday:
Coast Range
Zone 601
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind
SSRAs. North of Tillamook, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Units may be 900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603.
Zone 612, 615,
and 616 west of R8W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 618 and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Zone 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Cascades
Zone 605 and 606
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 607, 608,
639, and 610
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
Zone 611
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616 and 617
Units should be
1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620 and 622
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 623
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
For Saturday:
Coast Range
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
Zone 601
Units should be
1000 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603 - call the forecaster.
Zone 612 and 616
east of R9W
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 615, 616
west of R8W, 618, and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.
Zone 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue
River - call the forecaster.
Cascades
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
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.
Zone 610 and 611
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620 and 622
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Siskiyous
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m.***
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below. Ensure adequate distance from downwind
SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
For Sunday:
Coast Range
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
All Zones
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
Cascades
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
Zone 605, 606,
620, and 622
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 607, 608,
616, 617, and 623
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 639
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 610 and 611
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Siskiyous
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m.***
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
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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.