SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 2:30 PM Gary Votaw
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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
NW flow aloft weakens on Thursday as a ridge begins to build offshore. Conditions return to sunny and otherwise
seasonal.
Mixing conditions will be good with light winds in afternoon favoring
SE-S for eastern zones and becoming NW for the west. Winds become W-NW throughout the area by evening.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The warming trend
continues Friday as the offshore ridge is fully in control. Temperatures will be slightly above average
under sunny skies. Burning conditions will be good
with NW winds.
Little change is
expected for the weekend. The ridge
building nears its peak by Sunday while flow aloft on Saturday and Sunday turn
N. Sunny and temperatures 5-10oF
above normal continue. Mixing heights on
both Saturday and Sunday will be high with mainly N winds.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
3500 - 4500 ft during the morning.
Mixing height rises to above 5000 ft during the afternoon then lowers to
1600 - 2600 ft during the evening.
Transport wind S
to SW at 6 - 10 mph throughout the morning and afternoon. Transport wind shifts to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10
mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain through
the day. Surface wind increases to NW to
N at 4 - 8 mph during the evening.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
3900 - 4900 ft during the morning.
Mixing height rises to above 5000 ft during the afternoon then lowers to
3300 - 4300 ft during the evening.
Transport wind SE
to S at 6 - 10 mph throughout the morning and afternoon. Transport wind shifts to WSW to WNW at 6 - 10
mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4400 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 10 - 18 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 12 mph during the
afternoon.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4500 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph. Surface wind
NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4500 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
N to NE at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming NNW
to NNE at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon.
Surface wind NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Thursday, June 11,
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 10 miles in all
directions of SSRAs. Watch for shifting
transport winds. 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 10 miles in all
directions of SSRAs. Watch for shifting
transport winds. 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.