SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Monday, January 12, 2026 2:30 PM Sherri Pugh

**************** Air Stagnation Advisory Information ****************

An Air Stagnation Advisory may be in effect for your area (consult the link below for the latest information). Please use extra precautions and limit forestland burning to units that will not worsen air quality within nearby SSRAs.

* Current Air Stagnation Advisories: https://www.weather.gov/wrh/. *

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1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646

SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION

Strong upper-level ridging will dominate the weather pattern for several days with dry and stable conditions. A few high clouds are likely Tuesday with well-above seasonable temperatures. Light winds will be variable at the surface and SSE-SSW for transport winds. Morning inversions will be strong. Mixing heights will be poor and burning near SSRAs will be limited.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

Clear skies are expected Wednesday with the upper-level ridge flattening some. Surface winds will be light and variable while transport winds will turn to come from W-NW. Mixing heights will be suppressed with stagnant conditions.

Thursday will have similar weather to earlier in the week with clear, dry skies. The upper-level ridge will continue to influence as it set ups offshore. Winds will be light and variable. Mixing heights will be poor.

Skies will be sunny for Friday with no budge in the upper-level ridge. Winds will be variable and mixing heights will be suppressed by warm air loft. The stagnant weather continues into the weekend.

2. DISPERSION

TUESDAY

Zone 640, 642, and 644 West of R35E:

Mixing height below 1000 ft throughout the day.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Transport wind increases to S to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon then becomes light and variable during the evening.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 637, 643, 645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:

Mixing height below 1000 ft throughout the day.

Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain during the morning. Transport wind increases to SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon then becomes light and variable during the evening.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft throughout the day. Transport wind light and variable. Surface wind light and variable.

THURSDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft throughout the day. Transport wind light and variable. Surface wind light and variable.

FRIDAY

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 Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

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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 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.

Zone 637, 643, 645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:

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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.