SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 2:30 PM Gary Votaw
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A substantial degrade in the forecast
products used by Oregon Department of Forestry meteorologists will cause longer
wait-times to return calls to the forecast line. Forecasts and
instructions may be delayed due to the decline in data.
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1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Little change occurs
on Friday. Continuing sunny conditions
will boost temperatures to a few degrees above average. Mixing potential is moderate with light W afternoon
transport winds.
An upper trough will approach the SW corner of Oregon on Saturday. Skies look to be mostly cloudy and there is a
chance of rain and mountain snow but mostly across the south edge of the
forecast area. Mixing conditions will become
good by the afternoon with very light SW-W winds.
The
trough slips by the south side of Oregon on Sunday. There is still a slight chance of a shower
but skies partly sunny. Burning
potential is still good while winds are light and variable.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft during the morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 2800 - 3800
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to SW to WNW at 4 -
8 mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to S
to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon then becomes light and variable during
the evening.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft during the morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3000 - 4000
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind SE
to S at 4 - 8 mph during the morning.
Transport wind shifts to SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon
and evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to SSE to SSW at 4 - 8
mph during the afternoon then becomes light and variable during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1700 ft by late morning rising to 3100 to
4100 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind SSW to WSW at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 8 - 14
mph during the afternoon. Surface wind
light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 5 - 9 mph during
the afternoon.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1600 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to
5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable during the morning becoming SW to W at 4 - 8 mph during
the afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the
afternoon.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1600 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to
5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable. Surface wind
light and variable.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Thursday, February
26, 2026.
==================================================================
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Delay
ignitions until 10 a.m. Follow
standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SSW
through WNW of SSRAs. For units that
will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 30
miles to the SSW through WNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Complete
ignitions by 4 p.m. No additional restrictions
necessary.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Delay
ignitions until 10 a.m. Follow
standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the ESE
through WSW of SSRAs. For units that
will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 30
miles to the ESE through WSW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. Watch for shifting transport winds. Complete ignitions by 4 p.m. 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.