SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
April 24, 2026
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
An upper-level trough and NW flow brings partly to mostly sunny
skies on Saturday. There is a slight
chance of a shower in mountains with snow levels rising to 5-6000 feet, temperatures
a shade below the seasonal level.
Burning potential is excellent by late morning and afternoon, with W
winds shifting NW in the evening.
Very little change occurs on Sunday as the trough remains,
conditions partly sunny with a slight chance of a shower. Temperatures are 5-10oF below normal.
Mixing becomes excellent by late morning
with W-NW winds.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The trough begins to move east on Monday but not before providing
a chance of a light shower or even a thundershower. The snow level will be around 6000 feet. Excellent mixing again with very light W-NW
winds.
Weak NW flow aloft returns on Tuesday, keeping skies
partly sunny and temperatures a little below normal. Look for excellent mixing by afternoon with W
winds.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning.
Transport increases to WSW to WNW at 10 - 20 mph during the afternoon
then shifts to NW to NNW and decreases to 8 - 14 mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to WSW to WNW at 5 - 9
mph during the afternoon then shifts to NW to N at 6 - 12 mph during the
evening.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind W to NW at 6 -
10 mph during the morning becoming W to NW at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind light and variable during the
morning becoming WSW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind light and
variable during the morning becoming W to NW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind light and variable during the
morning becoming W to NW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.
TUESDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4300 - 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SW to W at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 10 - 18 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable during the morning becoming WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the
afternoon.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625 INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, April 25 through 27, 2026.
==================================================================
For Saturday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through N
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
WSW through N in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Watch for shifting transport winds. No
additional restrictions necessary.
For Sunday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the W through N of
SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the W
through N in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the W through NNW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the W
through NE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. 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.