SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
May 15, 2026
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
A cold upper-level trough passes by on Saturday to cause a chilly
day and perhaps a light shower in the north portion. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny but temperatures
around 10°F below average. Burning
opportunities are excellent with mainly NW winds.
The trough slides eastward on Sunday for NW flow aloft over Oregon
and mostly sunny skies. Temperatures
remain about 10°F below average. Mixing conditions
are still excellent with N-NNE transport winds.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
NW flow
continues Monday and Tuesday, but a building offshore ridge will inject warmer
air into the flow. Sunny skies allow a
warming trend and temperatures much closer to seasonal levels. Mixing heights rise nicely through each day
with light NE winds on Monday then NW-N for Tuesday.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Mixing height
above 5000 ft throughout the day. Mixing
height lowers to 3500 - 4500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
WNW to NW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind WNW
to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
3200 - 4200 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind N to NNE at 12
- 24 mph. Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 -
10 mph.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4500 - 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 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 4500 - 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
NW to N at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind
light and variable.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625 INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, May 16 through 18, 2026.
==================================================================
For Saturday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WNW through
NNW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 5 miles
to the WNW through NNE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Sunday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the N through NE
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the N
through NE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
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 10 miles in all
directions of SSRAs. No additional
restrictions necessary.
==============================================================
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.