SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
A strengthening upper-level trough will arrive at
the coast on Thursday, rain spreading across the region. The snow level rises to 7000 feet with temperatures
10-15oF below seasonal levels.
Possible moisture through Thursday night will be .10” to .25”. Daytime mixing will be excellent with SW-W
transport winds.
EXTENDED
DISCUSSION
Showers remain likely on Friday along
with a chance of afternoon thundershowers underneath the cool upper trough. An additional .10” to .25” of rain is
possible. Temperatures will be around 10oF
below seasonal averages and snow levels about 5500 feet. Mixing will be excellent with mainly W transport
winds.
The trough will move east on Saturday with W flow aloft
returning. Both Saturday and Sunday will
be partly sunny, and temperatures return to near average by Sunday. Mixing will remain excellent with SW-W
transport winds.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Mixing height
4000 - 5000 ft during the morning.
Mixing height rises above 5000 ft during the afternoon and evening.
Transport wind SW
to W at 10 - 22 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind increases to WSW to W at 16 -
30 mph during the evening.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning.
Surface wind increases to SW to W at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon and
evening.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
above 5000 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 15 - 25 mph. Surface wind SW to W at 8 - 12 mph during the
morning becoming W to NW at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
2600 - 3600 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind light and
variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 9 - 15 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable during the morning becoming SW to W at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
3000 - 4000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind SSW to WSW at
8 - 12 mph. Surface wind SW to W at 5 -
9 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625
INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Thursday, April
25, 2024.
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Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SW through WNW
of SSRAs. 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.