SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Thursday,
April 16, 2026
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
NW flow
aloft decreases on Friday with a ridge arriving late. Sunny skies warm the area but remaining cooler than seasonal.
Burning potential is very good with variable winds trending NE-E towards
late afternoon and evening.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The ridge will be overhead on Saturday, and temperatures return to
normal levels under sunny skies.
Afternoon mixing will be very good with light SE-S winds.
The ridge progresses into Idaho while flow aloft becomes weakly SW
for Sunday and Monday. Partly sunny
skies are expected both days with temperatures well above normal. Mixing heights improve nicely into the
afternoons with very light SE winds.
2. DISPERSION
FRIDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 3300 - 4300 ft during the morning. Mixing height rises above 5000 ft during the
afternoon then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning.
Transport wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local
terrain during the afternoon then increases to NE to E at
6 - 10 mph 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 1000
– 2000 ft early rising to 4200 - 5000 ft during the morning. Mixing height rises above 5000 ft during the
afternoon 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 NE to E at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon then becomes light and
variable during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to
NE to E at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon then
becomes light and variable during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3300 to 4300 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SE to S at 10 - 20 mph. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming SE to S at 6 - 10 mph during the
afternoon.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
ESE to SSE at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind
ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming SE to S at 5 - 9 mph during the
afternoon.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Friday, April 17,
2026.
==================================================================
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:
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 15 miles in all
directions of SSRAs. No additional
restrictions necessary.
=========================================================
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.