SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Tuesday,
March 24, 2026
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
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A substantial degrade in
the forecast products used by Oregon Department of Forestry meteorologists will
cause longer wait-times to return calls to the forecast
line. Forecasts and instructions may be delayed due to the decline
in data.
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1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
On Wednesday there
will be a slight chance of a shower or high mountain snow under partly sunny
skies. A cold front passes through during
the day, making conditions colder especially by Wednesday night. Mixing conditions will be good with SW-W winds
until turning NW by evening.
EXTENDED
DISCUSSION
Thursday
will be sunny, dry and seasonal under W flow aloft. Afternoon mixing looks good with light NE
winds.
Sunny
skies on Friday and Saturday will be the result of a building
ridge. Conditions warm again 15-20oF
above seasonal normals. Burning
conditions will be good on both afternoons with mainly SE-S winds on Friday trending
SW for Saturday.
2. DISPERSION
WEDNESDAY
Mixing height
3300 - 4300 ft during the morning.
Mixing height rises to above 5000 ft during the afternoon then lowers to
1500 - 2500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind SW
to W at 14 - 28 mph during the morning.
Transport increases to WSW to W at 20 - 36 mph during the afternoon then
shifts to WNW to NNW and decreases to 10 - 20 mph during the evening.
Surface wind SW
to W at 6 - 10 mph during the morning.
Surface wind increases to WSW to WNW at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon
then shifts to WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
THURSDAY
Mixing height
1600 - 2600 ft during the morning rising to 4400 - 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind NNE to ENE at
8 - 12 mph. Surface wind NNE to ENE at 4
- 8 mph.
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1300 - 2300 ft by late morning rising to 3600 -
4600 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind E to SE at 6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3600 -
4600 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind SSW to WSW at 10 - 20 mph. Surface
wind SSW to WSW at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming SW to WSW at 9 - 15
mph during the afternoon.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625 INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Wednesday, March
25, 2026.
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Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SW through NW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles to the
SW through NE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Watch for shifting transport winds. No
additional restrictions necessary.
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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.