SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Thursday,
June 18, 2026
2:30 PM Pete Parsons
************************ Holiday
Schedule ***************************
The ODF forecast
office will be closed on Friday, June 19th. This forecast includes burning
instructions through Monday, June 22nd.
For questions
regarding prescribed burning planned for this period, please call the forecast
office at 503-945-7401 prior to 5 p.m. today or after 7 a.m. on Monday, June
22nd.
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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
SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION
Ridging weakens on Friday with an upper-level disturbance
cutting across southern Oregon and northern California. Some clouds will push across the region, and
a late-day thunderstorm is possible south. A surface thermal trough will move from
central Oregon to near the Idaho border with temperatures reaching 10-15°F
above average. Mixing will be good with SW-NW
winds.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
An upper-level trough pushes east of the state on Saturday with
a drier and more stable NW flow aloft clearing skies. Brisk W-NW winds will cap temperatures near
5°F above average with good mixing.
An upper-level ridge builds just offshore on Sunday with a
continued dry and stable NW flow aloft keeping skies clear. Mixing will be good
with slightly above-average temperatures and NW winds.
A weak upper-level ridge progresses inland on Monday, bringing
sunny skies with surface temperatures climbing to about 10°F above average. Winds
turn N-NE with good daytime mixing.
2. DISPERSION
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 2000 ft early rising to 3000 - 4000 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises above 5000 ft
then lowers to 2500 - 3500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind SW
to WNW at 4 - 8 mph throughout the morning and afternoon. Transport wind shifts to
WNW to NNW and increases to 10 - 18 mph during the 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:
SATURDAY
Mixing height
2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind WSW to WNW at
10 - 16 mph during the morning becoming W to NW at 13 - 25 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind W to NW at 6 -
12 mph during the morning becoming WNW to NW at 10 - 18 mph during the
afternoon.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind NW to N at 4 -
8 mph during the morning becoming NW to N at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind NW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.
MONDAY
Mixing height
2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind N to NE at 8 -
12 mph. Surface wind N to NE at 5 - 9
mph.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Friday through
Monday, June 19 through 22, 2026.
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For Friday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SW through NNW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 15 miles to the
SW through NNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Saturday:
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 10 miles
to the WSW through NNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Sunday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the NW through NNE
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
NW through NNE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the N through NE
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
NW through NE in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. 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.