SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Tuesday,
September 16, 2025 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN
OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623 and 639
*********************************************************************
*** Constructed
For Guidance (Clearance by Phone Only) ***
*********************************************************************
********************** Off-Season
Instructions **********************
Written forecasts/instructions have ended for the
summer.
Verbal smoke clearance must be obtained for all
prescribed burning by calling the ODF forecast office at 503-945-7401.
Office hours are Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. until 5
p.m. (closed weekends/holidays).
Written forecasts will resume in October.
*********************************************************************
2. DISPERSION
WEDNESDAY
Zone 601, 602,
603 and 612 (North Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 300 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind
increases to NW to N at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.
Zone 605-611, 639
and 616-623 (North and South Cascades):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 300 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.
EVENING
Mixing height
lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind
shifts to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Zone 615-620
(South Coast Range):
MORNING
Mixing height
below 300 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind
NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
AFTERNOON
Mixing height
2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind
increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
EVENING
Mixing height
lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind
NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.
OUTLOOK:
THURSDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1900 to 2900 ft by late morning rising to 2800 to
3800 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind NNW to NE at 6 - 10 mph. Surface
wind NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 2300 to
3300 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1600 to 2600 ft by late morning rising to 2900 to
3900 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind SW to W at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to NW at 4 - 8 mph during
the afternoon.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE
WESTERN OREGON AREA
- Valid for burning done Wednesday through
Friday, September 17 through 19, 2025.
=================================================================
For Wednesday:
Coast Range
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
Zone 601
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in
Zone 603 - call the forecaster.
Zone 612
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport
- 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
900 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.
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,
and 616
Units should be
1000 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs. Avoid ignitions north of T24S in Zone 616.
Zone 607, 608,
639, 610, 617, 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 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 620 and 622
Units should be
750 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m.***
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
For Thursday:
Coast Range
Zone 601, 612,
615, 616, 618, 619, and 620
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport
in Zone 612 - call the forecaster.
Zone 602 and 603
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Avoid ignitions north of Forest
Grove/Hillsboro or Sheridan/Willamina in Zone 602. Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in
Zone 603 - call the forecaster.
Cascades
Zone 605, 606,
607, 608, 639, 610, 617, 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
Units should be
1500 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Zone 616
Units should be
1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. Avoid ignitions north of T24S. South of T29S higher tonnage is possible -
call the forecaster.
Zone 620 and 622
Units should be
1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
Siskiyous
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.
For Friday:
Coast Range
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
Zone 601, 612,
618, and 619
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs. Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport
in Zone 612 - call the forecaster.
Zone 602, 603,
and 620
Units should be
600 tons or less, spaced 12 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs. Avoid ignitions north of Forest
Grove/Hillsboro or Sheridan/Willamina in Zone 602. Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in
Zone 603 - call the forecaster.
Zone 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.
Cascades
***Avoid
ignitions before 10 a.m. in all zones.***
All zones except
zone 610
Use standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below.
Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.
Zone 610
Units should be
900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 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.
==============================================================
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.