SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Thursday,
January 8, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
After a few lingering snow showers, Friday
will start a pattern with upper-level ridging and more
stable, dry conditions. Flow aloft will
be light from NW. Winds will become
light and turn to come from S-SSW. Freezing levels will increase to near 4000
feet with surface temperatures near or above average. Mixing heights will be fair at best.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Saturday will be dry with mid-level
clouds under upper-level ridging. Light
surface winds will be from SSE while transport winds are expected from S. Temperatures will rise above average. Mixing heights will be fair to poor.
A few high clouds and dry weather are
likely for Sunday. Temperatures will be
above seasonable. Light surface winds will
come from SSE-S. Transport winds will be
from S-SSW. Mixing heights will be
suppressed.
Monday will have a few mid to high level clouds as the upper-level ridge continues to
impact the region. Light surface winds will
be from S-SSW. Transport winds will come
from SW. Mixing heights will be poor
after strong morning inversions.
2. DISPERSION
FRIDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 1300 - 2300
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.
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 and evening.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 1300 - 2300
ft then lowers below 1000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain. Transport wind increases to SSE to SSW at 4 -
8 mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
OUTLOOK:
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1600 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at
4 - 8 mph. Surface wind ESE to S at 4 -
8 mph.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1100 to 2100 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind SSE to SSW at
4 - 8 mph. Surface wind ESE to S at 4 -
8 mph.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Friday, January 9,
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 SE through SSW of SSRAs. For units
that will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least
30 miles to the SE through SSW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. Complete ignitions by 3 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 in
all directions of SSRAs. For units that
will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 30
miles in all directions of SSRAs. Complete ignitions by 3 p.m. 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.