SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Friday, February 13, 2026 2:30 PM Pete Parsons

************************ Holiday Schedule ***************************

The ODF forecast office will be closed on Monday, February 16th. This forecast includes burning instructions through Tuesday, February 17th.

For questions regarding prescribed burning planned for this period, please call the forecast office at 503-945-7401 prior to 5 p.m. today or after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17th.

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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 either “Red,” “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

SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION

Saturday, the main energy from an incoming Pacific storm slides southward, offshore, but areas of light precipitation spread over all zones. Some coastal sites could exceed .25” of rain but most locations will have around .10” or less. Snow levels drop to near 3500 feet north and 4500 feet south with near-average temperatures. Mixing continues to improve with NE winds developing across the NW zones and E-SE winds elsewhere.

Sunday, an upper-level trough continues to slowly sag southward off the southern Oregon and northern California coast. The associated jet stream will direct most of the precipitation from this system into California. Skies remain mostly cloudy over Oregon with areas of light rain and mountain snow, mainly south. Mixing improves considerably across the southern zones. NW zones may continue to have light north winds, but other areas should have mostly light SE winds. Temperatures remain near average with little change in snow levels.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

Another weather system drops from the Gulf of Alaska to off the Washington and Oregon Coast on Monday. Rain and snow increase across all zones with lowering snow levels. Expect precipitation amounts mostly between .10” and .50” with greatest totals west and over higher terrain. Snow levels drop to 3-4000 feet with sticking snow likely over the Cascade passes. Mixing becomes excellent with SE-SW winds.

A broad upper-level trough, centered just off the Oregon Coast, will bring rain and mountain snow on Tuesday with below-average temperatures. Precipitation totals will vary but may locally exceed .50”, especially south. Snow levels drop to near 2000 feet with significant snow accumulations likely above 3000 feet. Mixing will be excellent with brisk SW transport winds.

2. DISPERSION

SATURDAY

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

MORNING

Mixing height below 2000 ft early rising to 2000 - 3000 ft by late morning.

Transport wind NNE to ENE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind N to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.

Transport wind similar to morning.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.

Transport wind N to NE at 9 - 15 mph.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 and 639 (North Cascades):

MORNING

Mixing height below 1500 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.

Transport wind E to SE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind ENE to ESE at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.

Transport wind similar to morning.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.

Transport wind ESE to SSE at 8 - 12 mph.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING

Mixing height below 1500 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.

Transport wind NE to E at 6 - 10 mph.

Surface wind NE to E at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.

Transport wind shifts to E to SE at 8 - 12 mph.

Surface wind ENE to ESE at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING

Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.

Transport wind ESE to S at 6 - 10 mph.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning.

Transport wind SE to S at 6 - 10 mph.

Surface wind SE to S at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.

Transport wind similar to morning.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.

Transport wind similar to afternoon.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1300 to 2300 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind ENE to ESE at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind ENE to ESE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the afternoon.

MONDAY

Mixing height 2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSW to SW at 8 - 14 mph. Surface wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.

TUESDAY

Mixing height 2400 to 3400 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSW to WSW at 10 - 20 mph. Surface wind SSW to SW at 8 - 12 mph.

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

- Valid for burning done Saturday through Tuesday, February 14 through 17, 2026.

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For Saturday:

Coast Range

All Zones

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

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606

Units should be 400 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607, 608, and 616

Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs. In zone 616 avoid ignitions north of T24S. South of T29S higher tonnage is possible - call the forecaster.

Zone 639, 611, 617, 620, and 622

Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 610 and 623

Use standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below.

Siskiyous

Units should be 900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

For Sunday:

Coast Range

All Zones

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

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606

Units should be 400 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607, 608, 617, 620, and 622

Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 639, 610, 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 900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 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.

Siskiyous

Units should be 900 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

For Monday:

Coast Range

All Zones

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

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 639, 610, 617, 620, 622, 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 1200 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart.

Zone 611 and 616

Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs. In zone 616 avoid ignitions north of T24S. South of T29S higher tonnage is possible - call the forecaster.

Siskiyous

Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 3 miles apart, and 5 miles from downwind SSRAs.

For Tuesday:

Coast Range

All Zones

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

Cascades

All zones except zone 611

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.