SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Thursday, April 16, 2026 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh

1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623 and 639

Dry weather is expected for Friday after a chilly start as an upper-level low moves far east and ridging builds for the region. Winds will be light and variable, and offshore at times. Temperatures will be seasonable. Mixing heights will be fair on the coast and good for the Cascades.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

Upper-level ridging will shift east on Saturday with SW flow aloft. Dry weather continues and temperatures will rise above average. Surface winds will be light and variable while transport winds will come from S. Mixing heights will be fair to good.

The next upper-level low will be offshore on Sunday. Much of the region will stay dry but a few showers are possible on the coast depending on the low location. Winds will be light and mostly from SE-S. Temperatures will be near or above seasonable. Mixing heights will be fair to good.

Monday likely stays dry as the upper-level low moves south off the California coast. Winds will be light and generally from S. Mixing heights will be good. Rain potential returns midweek.

2. DISPERSION

FRIDAY

Zone 601, 602, 603 and 612 (North Coast Range):

MORNING

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning.

Transport wind NE to E at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.

Transport wind NNE to ENE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.

Transport wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611, 639 and 616-623 (North and South Cascades):

MORNING

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

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 similar to afternoon.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 1900 - 2900 ft by late morning.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.

Transport wind similar to morning.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.

Transport wind similar to afternoon.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

SATURDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1900 to 2900 ft by late morning rising to 3200 to 4200 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SE to S at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind light and variable.

SUNDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft by late morning rising to 3200 to 4200 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind ESE to S at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind light and variable.

MONDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1900 to 2900 ft by late morning rising to 2600 to 3600 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SE to S at 5 - 9 mph. Surface wind light and variable.

3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA

- Valid for burning done Friday, April 17, 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 1000 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.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606

Units should be 400 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607 and 608

Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 639, 610, 611, and 623

Use standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below. Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 616 and 617

Units should be 1000 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

Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 6 miles apart, and 8 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.