SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
February 13, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
************************ Holiday
Schedule ***************************
The ODF forecast
office will be closed on Monday, February 16th. This forecast includes burning
instructions through Tuesday, February 17th.
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 Tuesday,
February 17th.
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1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
Chances for showers and mountain snow
increase through the weekend and next week.
An upper-level ridge will shift away from the region with lessening impacts
while a trough sits offshore with SW flow aloft for the region. A few showers will have amounts under 0.10”,
along with mountain snow. Mixing heights
will improve with snow levels at 4-5000 feet.
Winds will be from SE-SSW with seasonable temperatures.
Sunday will have a few showers but stay mostly dry.
Freezing levels will stay near 4-5000 feet and mixing heights will be
good. Winds are expected from S-SSW.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Showers and mountain snow increase through the day Monday.
Rainfall amounts could reach up to 0.10”. Flow aloft will be from S with an upper-level
trough offshore. Winds will come from
SSE-SSW. Snow level decrease
to near 4000 feet and mixing heights will be good.
Mountain snow and rain are likely on Monday
with snow levels dropping under 3000 feet.
Winds will be from S-SW and temperatures sink
below average. Mixing heights will be
excellent. Rounds of rain and snow last through
the week.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3000 - 4000
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind ESE
to SSE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning.
Surface wind shifts to SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon then
becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the evening.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3000 - 4000
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 10 - 18 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to SE to S at 9 - 15
mph during the evening.
Surface wind ESE
to SSE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind becomes light and variable and
controlled by local terrain during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
S to SW at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming S to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the
afternoon.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SSW to SW at 15 - 25 mph. Surface wind
SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.
TUESDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph. Surface wind
SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Tuesday, February 14 through 17, 2026.
==================================================================
For Saturday:
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SSE through SW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles to the
SSE through SW in or near drainages leading to 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 to the ESE through
SSW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles
to the ESE through SW 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 SSE through SW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles to the
SE through SW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SSE through SW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles to the
SSE through SW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Tuesday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SSW through
WSW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles
to the SSW through W 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.