SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
The weather is mostly
static into Thursday.
Flow aloft will be from NW with an upper-level ridge moving inland. Winds will come from W-NW. Temperatures will rise well above average and
mixing heights will be excellent.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
A weak upper-level trough
moves through on Friday but with continued dry conditions. Winds will come from W-WNW with brisk
transport winds. Temperatures will be
warmer than seasonable and mixing heights will be high.
Upper-level ridging returns
Saturday with light W flow aloft. Warmer
air aloft will move in aloft but mixing heights will stay good. Lights winds will be variable at the surface
and from SSE-SSW for transport winds.
Sunday will have SW
flow aloft as upper-level ridging moves east.
Mixing heights will be high with temperatures on the rise. Winds will be from S-SSW. Dry weather lasts into early next week.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises above 5000 ft
then lowers to 1500 - 2500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning.
Transport wind increases to W to NW at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon
and evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to W to NW at 4 - 8
mph during the afternoon and evening.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 - 4000 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 - 22 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable during the morning becoming W to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the
afternoon.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
light and variable. Surface wind light
and variable.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
S to SW at 8 - 12 mph. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming S to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the
afternoon.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625
INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Thursday, May 7,
2026.
==================================================================
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through
NNW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles
to the SSW through NNW in or near drainages leading to 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.