SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Thursday,
May 7, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
Upper-level ridging will be replaced
by a weak trough moving through with dry conditions on Friday. Winds will be from W-WNW with above average temperatures. Mixing heights will be high.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Another upper-level ridge will impact
the region on Saturday. Mixing heights
will lower some with warmer air aloft, but remain
good. Surface winds will be light and
variable. Transport winds will be light
from SW-NW. Temperatures will be well
above seasonable.
Flow aloft will be from SW on Sunday
with a weak upper-level trough north of the region. Winds will be from S-WSW. Mixing heights will be high and temperatures
will be well above average.
Broad upper-level ridging on Monday
will come with dry and warm weather.
Surface winds will be light and variable while light transport winds
will come from SW-NW. Mixing heights
will be good but lower. A chance of
showers returns midweek.
2. DISPERSION
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 500 ft early rising to 3000 - 4000 ft by late morning. Afternoon mixing height rises above 5000 ft
then lowers to 1500 - 2500 ft during the evening.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 9 - 15 mph throughout the morning and afternoon. Transport wind shifts to WNW to NNW at 10 -
22 mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Surface wind increases to W to NW at 6 - 10
mph during the afternoon and evening.
OUTLOOK:
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to
4500 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising to 4500 to
5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind S to SW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 10 - 22
mph during the afternoon. 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 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to
4500 ft during the afternoon. Transport
wind light and variable during the morning becoming SW to W at 6 - 10 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Friday, May 8,
2026.
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Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through
NNW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 25 miles
to the WSW through NNW 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.