SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Monday,
June 22, 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
On Tuesday a very weak
trough and SW flow aloft bring partly to mostly sunny and very warm
conditions. Afternoon temperatures range
from 10-20oF above normal. Mixing heights will be good. Transport winds in the afternoon will be
light and generally range from NE-SE in the north portion and W-NW for the
south.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Onshore flow increases
some on Wednesday providing a little cooling, and the trough stays overhead. Skies remain mostly sunny. Mixing will be good with very light NW-N
winds.
Clouds increase late Thursday
ahead of a stronger upper trough though precipitation will likely hold off
until that night. Look for moderate to
good mixing with light W-NW winds.
The
trough arrives to spread rain through the region Thursday night and Friday, generally
totaling .10” to .25” in northern mountains but less in the south. It will turn temperatures much lower, to
10-15oF below average. Friday
afternoon will see excellent mixing with W-NW winds.
2. DISPERSION
TUESDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind
NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
similar to morning.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
1000 - 1600 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to NNW to N and increases to 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind
increases to WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Zone 605-611 and
639 (North Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 3800 - 4800 ft.
Transport wind E
to ESE at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to SE to S at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to N to NNE and increases to 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind
increases to NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 2400 - 3400 ft.
Transport wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3500
- 4500 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind
increases to W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
1000 - 1900 ft.
Transport wind
NNW to NNE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind
similar to afternoon.
Zone 616-623
(South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 2600 - 3600 ft.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind
similar to morning.
Surface wind
similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
3600 - 4600 ft.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind
increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.
OUTLOOK:
WEDNESDAY
In the north
mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning
rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.
In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 4200 to 5000 ft
by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph. Surface wind light and variable during the
morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
THURSDAY
In the north
mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning
rising to 3800 to 4800 ft during the afternoon.
In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft
by late morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind W to NW at 5 - 9 mph. Surface wind light and variable during the
morning becoming W to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
FRIDAY
Mixing height 1000
to 2000 ft early rising to 2800 to 3800 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft
during the afternoon. Transport wind SW
to W at 6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming W to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable during the morning becoming W to NW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE
WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Tuesday, June 23,
2026.
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Coast Range
Zone 601, 602,
603, 612, 618, and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)
Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs.
Zone 615 and 616
west of R8W
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616 east of
R9W
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620
Units should be
300 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of
T35S. Call the forecaster.
Cascades
Zone 605 and 606
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 607, 608,
639, 610, 616, 617, 620, 622, and 623
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
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.
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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.