SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Thursday,
April 30, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
Friday will have mostly dry weather with a few thunderstorms
developing on the Cascades. Flow aloft
will increase from S as upper-level ridging moves east and a trough will be to
the west. Winds will turn to come from SE-S. Temperatures will rise well above
seasonable. Mixing heights will be
excellent.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Saturday will be mostly dry with a few showers and thunderstorms
possible along with S flow aloft as an upper-level low sits offshore. Winds will be from SE-S, though more from N
near the Washington/Oregon border. Temperatures
will stay well above average and mixing heights will be high.
A dry start on Sunday could turn to scattered showers and thunderstorms
late. Flow aloft will be light from E as
the upper-level low will be offshore of California and a high will be to the
northwest. Winds will be from NE-E with
even warmer temperatures. Mixing heights
will be good.
Monday will be mostly dry with flow aloft light from NE as the
upper-level low weakens and ridging will be offshore of Canada. Winds will be from N. Mixing heights will be excellent. Upper-level ridging will build into midweek.
2. DISPERSION
FRIDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning. Mixing height lowers to 1000 - 2000 ft during
the evening.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 10 - 18 mph throughout the morning and afternoon. Transport wind shifts to ESE to SSE and
decreases to 6 - 10 mph during the evening.
Surface wind ESE
to S at 6 - 10 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind 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 above 5000 ft by late morning. Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft during the
evening.
Transport wind
SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to ESE to SSE at 4 -
8 mph during the evening.
Surface wind ESE
to S at 4 - 8 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind becomes light and variable and
controlled by local terrain during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2800 to 3800 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
light and variable during the morning becoming ESE to SSE at 8 - 12 mph during
the afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable during the morning becoming ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph during the
afternoon.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2300 to 3300 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
ENE to ESE at 4 - 8 mph. Surface wind
light and variable.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
N to NE at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind NNW
to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Friday, May 1,
2026.
==================================================================
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
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 15 miles
to the ESE through SSW 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 E through SSW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 15 miles to the E
through SSW in or near drainages leading to 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.