SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
December 26, 2025
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
Northwest flow aloft will push well mixed air across the region Saturday. Snow tapers off while skies remain mostly
cloudy and cold. Additional moisture may
reach .10” to .25” in mountains. Mixing
conditions are good with NW winds.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Sunny skies persist and temperatures rise above average for Monday
and Tuesday. However, the ridge
maintains its grip on the region to cause very poor burning conditions with
very light winds, favoring SE-S on both days.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
4200 - 5000 ft during the morning.
Mixing height rises to above 5000 ft during the afternoon then lowers to
1400 - 2400 ft during the evening.
Transport wind NW
to NNW at 16 - 30 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to WNW to NW at 10 -
20 mph during the evening.
Surface wind W to
NW at 12 - 24 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
4400 - 5000 ft during the morning.
Afternoon mixing lowers to 4100 - 5000 ft and lowers to 2000 - 3000 ft
during the evening.
Transport wind
WNW to NW at 19 - 33 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to W to NW at 10 -
18 mph during the evening.
Surface wind W to
NW at 10 - 20 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind decreases to W to NW at 5 - 9
mph during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1000 to 2000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind light and
variable. Surface wind light and
variable.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1000 to 1800 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind ESE to S at 6
- 10 mph. Surface wind light and
variable.
TUESDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind ESE to S at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind light and variable.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, December 27 through 29, 2025.
==================================================================
For Saturday:
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WNW through
NNW of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 15 miles
to the WNW through NNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Care needed in selecting units as smoke will
likely fumigate along the ground in wind prone areas. 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 W through NNW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
WSW through NNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Sunday:
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 2:30 p.m. No
additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
Delay
ignitions until 10 a.m. Follow
standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the ESE
through S of SSRAs. For units that will
smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 30 miles
to the ESE through S in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Complete
ignitions by 2:30 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.