SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
June 26, 2026 2:30 PM Gary Votaw
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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 strong and very cool upper-level
trough remains over West Oregon on Saturday.
Continuing showers, and a slight chance of a North Cascades thunderstorm,
generally provide up to another .25” of rainfall. The snow level will hover around 6000 feet
while daytime temperatures are 15-20oF below average. Mixing potential is excellent with W-NW winds.
The trough continues over
the area Sunday. Showers may cause an
additional .10” to .25” while temperatures are 15oF below average. Mixing is excellent in the afternoon with
light W-NW winds.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The trough moves into California
by Monday with drier NW flow left over the region. A few showers linger but less than .10” is
likely, and skies range from mostly cloudy north to mostly sunny south. Temperatures will still be 10oF below
normal. Daytime mixing remains excellent with NW-N winds.
NW flow persists
Tuesday and little change occurs, skies mostly cloudy north and mostly sunny south
while still very cool. Excellent mixing
is expected in the afternoon with NW winds.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
3600 - 4600 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind W to
NW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind SW
to WNW at 6 - 10 mph.
Zone 605-611 and
639 (North Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
4200 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind SW
to W at 5 - 9 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
similar to morning.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 12 - 24 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
3700 - 4700 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to NW at 5 - 9 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
similar to morning.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
3900 - 4900 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind W to
NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Zone 616-623
(South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind SW
to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to NW at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind W to
NW at 5 - 9 mph.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
2900 to 3900 ft during the morning rising over 5000 ft in the afternoon. Transport wind W to NW at 6 - 12 mph. Surface wind light and variable during the
morning becoming WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.
MONDAY
Mixing height 3000
to 4000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph during
the morning becoming NW to N at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
TUESDAY
In the Coast
Range mixing height 2400 to 3400 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft
during the afternoon. In the Cascades
mixing height 1500 to 2500 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during
the afternoon. Transport wind W to NW at
6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 10 - 20 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5
- 9 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE
WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, June 27 through 29, 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. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T35S. Call the forecaster.
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 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.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 618
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Zone 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. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T35S. Call the forecaster.
Cascades
Zone 605, 606,
607, 608, 639, 610, 616, 617, 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 900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.
Zone 611
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 622
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs. East of R2W, use standard guidance matrix -
see section 5 below.
Siskiyous
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below. Ensure adequate distance from downwind
SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
For Monday:
Coast Range
Zone 601 and 612
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. Limit burning in or near corridors. Higher tonnage is possible south of the
Siuslaw River in Zone 603. Call the
forecaster.
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 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue
River. Call the forecaster.
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
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 611
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. East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
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.