SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Thursday, April 2, 2026 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh

1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646

The weather trend will shift away from rain and mountain snow to dry and warm conditions starting Friday. Quickly building upper-level ridging will have light NW flow aloft. Freezing levels will rise to over 5000 feet. Surface winds will become light and variable. Light transport winds will be from SW-WSW. Mixing heights will decrease but generally stay good.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

The warm and dry weather lasts through the weekend and early next week. Saturday will have light NW flow aloft with upper-level ridging. Winds will be light from ESE-S and variable at times. Temperatures will be well above average. Mixing heights will be good despite warmer air aloft.

The upper-level ridge impacts last into Sunday with well above seasonable temperatures and dry conditions. Mixing heights will be fair to good. Winds will come from SE-SSE.

The upper-level ridge weakens on Monday with the next low offshore. A few showers are expected late. Winds will be from S-SSW. Mixing heights will be good.

2. DISPERSION

FRIDAY

Zone 640, 642, and 644 West of R35E:

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 1900 - 2900 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3300 - 4300 ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.

Transport wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the evening.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 637, 643, 645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:

Mixing height below 500 ft early rising to 1900 - 2900 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3300 - 4300 ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Transport wind increases to SW to W at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon then becomes light and variable during the evening.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

SATURDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1600 to 2600 ft by late morning rising to 3300 to 4300 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind light and variable. Surface wind light and variable.

SUNDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind ESE to S at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph.

MONDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 4500 to 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind ESE to S at 4 - 8 mph.

3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646

- Valid for burning done Friday, April 3, 2026.

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Zone 640, 642, and 644 West of R35E:

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 25 miles in all directions of SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.

Zone 637, 643, 645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:

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4. SPECIAL NOTE:

The ODF forecast smoke zones differ from the NWS fire zones and

are available at:

https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/documents/smoke-forecast-zone-map.pdf

The smoke management forecaster is available at (503)-

945-7401. Please call this number and not individual's

numbers to discuss daily burning. For large burns (over

2000 tons) or burns extending over a considerable period,

please request a special forecast. Avoid calling

between 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/

Daily/neo.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.