SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Tuesday,
June 23, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
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We Need Your Feedback!
The Smoke Management
Department is planning to “upgrade” this product so that it more effectively
meets your needs. To assist us with this
project, we are requesting feedback from you!
Below are a few questions
to help you consider what changes would be most beneficial for you. All ideas are welcome!
Is the “Short-Term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
Is the “Long-term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
How could the “Dispersion”
forecast better meet your needs?
Is the “Outlook”
useful? What would enhance it?
Are the “Burning
Instructions” clear and concise? How
could they be improved for your use?
How do you access the
forecast product (i.e., Email; web page; telephone recording)?
We are considering
discontinuing or upgrading the phone recording of the forecast product. Is that something you currently use? Would you use it if you could get your
specific forecast from it faster?
Please Email your feedback
to: Peter.GJ.Parsons@odf.oregon.gov
Thank you!
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1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
Wednesday will start
to have upper-level ridging replaced with a weak trough. The weather will be dry with above seasonable
temperatures though cooler than earlier in the week. Winds will be from WNW-NNW. Mixing heights will be high.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
An upper-level
trough moves through early with onshore flow aloft following. An isolated shower is possible early, then
drier weather. Winds will be brisk from
SW-WNW. Temperatures will be near or
above average. Mixing heights will be
good.
Showers increase on
Friday with an upper-level low offshore to the northwest. Winds will be from SW-WSW in central zones
and lighter from S-SW in northeastern zones.
Temperatures will drop below seasonable and mixing heights will be good.
Saturday will have
showers as the upper-level low moves inland.
Winds will come from NW and mixing heights will
be excellent. Temperatures will drop
well below average. Shower potential
continues into early next week.
2. DISPERSION
WEDNESDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises above 5000 ft
then lowers to 2500 - 3500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 10
- 18 mph during the evening.
Surface wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph throughout the day.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises above 5000 ft
then lowers to 2000 - 3000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind increases to NW to N at 10 -
18 mph during the evening.
Surface wind NW
to N at 4 - 8 mph.
OUTLOOK:
THURSDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3300 to 4300 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable during the morning becoming WSW to NW at 6 - 12 mph during the
afternoon.
FRIDAY
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft
during the afternoon. Transport wind WSW
to WNW at 8 - 12 mph. Surface wind light
and variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph. Surface wind
WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Wednesday, June
24, 2026.
==================================================================
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WNW through N
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
SSW through N in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. No additional restrictions necessary.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WNW 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. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. No additional restrictions necessary.
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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.