SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Friday, May 8, 2026 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh

1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625

SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION

Saturday will have renewed upper-level ridging and NW to W flow aloft. Conditions will be dry with well above average temperatures. Surface winds will be light and variable. Light transport winds will come from SSE-SW. Mixing heights will lower some but stay good.

The region stays warm and dry Sunday with SW flow aloft as a weak upper-level trough moves north across Washington. Brisk winds will be from SSW-SW. Mixing heights will be high and temperatures stay well above seasonable.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

Monday will have SW flow aloft under broad upper-level ridging. Winds will be light from S-SSW at the surface and from SSW for transport winds. Mixing heights will be good and temperatures will be warm.

Flow aloft will come from SW on Tuesday with upper-level ridging. Mixing heights will be good. Winds are expected from S-SSW and temperatures will be well above average. Shower potential increases later in the week.

2. DISPERSION

SATURDAY

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 4000 - 5000 ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

MONDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning rising to 4000 - 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the afternoon. Surface wind light and variable.

TUESDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2100 - 3100 ft by late morning rising to 4500 - 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSW to SW at 10 - 22 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.

3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625 INCLUDING THE WALKER

RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624

- Valid for burning done Saturday through Monday, May 9 through 11, 2026.

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For Saturday:

Follow standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units in all directions of SSRAs. For units that will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles in all directions of SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.

For Sunday:

Follow standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the S through NNW of SSRAs. For units that will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles in all directions of SSRAs. Watch for shifting transport winds. No additional restrictions necessary.

For Monday:

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4. SPECIAL NOTE:

The smoke management forecaster is available at (503)

945-7401. The smoke management forecaster is available

to discuss specific burns. The duty forecaster phone

number is (503) 945-7401. Please call this number and

not individual's numbers to discuss daily burning. Please

avoid calling between 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/

Daily/lmt.htm

To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the email list for this

product, please go to the link:

http://weather.smkmgt.com/mailman/listinfo/

Please ensure your units have been planned and accomplished by

checking: http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/SMP/dailysmoke.shtml

A map of planned and/or accomplished burns is located at:

http://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html

?id=a7e321dc8fc444b7a33fbc67bc673a3b

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.

* 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.