SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Friday, February 20, 2026 2:30 PM Gary Votaw

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

SHORT-TERM DISCUSSION

An upper-level ridge will be stationary east of Oregon through the weekend while a large trough is parked offshore, causing SW flow aloft. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny both days with a slight chance of light showers. A warming trend will boost temperatures to near average by Sunday. Daytime mixing will generally be moderate Saturday then better by Sunday with SE-SSW transport winds on both days.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION

The ridge remains near the eastern border of Oregon but much broader than before. The flow becomes WSW-W and allows more moisture to arrive. Showers increase, mainly by Monday night and Tuesday. Potential moisture is .10” to .25” during this period with a snow level near 5500-6500 feet. Burning conditions on Monday will be good with SW transport winds then still good Tuesday as winds turn SW-W.

2. DISPERSION

SATURDAY

Zone 640, 642, and 644 West of R35E:

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft during the morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 3300 - 4300 ft and rises to 3500 - 4500 ft during the evening.

Transport wind SSE to S at 13 - 25 mph during the morning. Transport wind increases to SSE to S at 18 - 30 mph during the afternoon and increases to SE to S at 24 - 42 mph during the evening.

Surface wind ESE to S at 6 - 12 mph throughout the day.

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

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft during the morning. Afternoon mixing height rises to 2300 - 3300 ft and rises to 2500 - 3500 ft during the evening.

Transport wind ESE to SSE at 10 - 18 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind increases to SE to SSE at 22 - 38 mph during the evening.

Surface wind ESE to SSE at 6 - 10 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind increases to SE to SSE at 10 - 22 mph during the evening.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning rising to 4300 to 5000 ft during the afternoon. In the west transport wind SSE to S at 20 - 36 mph during the morning becoming S to SSW at 26 - 46 mph during the afternoon. In the east transport wind ESE to SSE at 15 - 25 mph during the morning becoming S to SSW at 18 - 32 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind ESE to S at 7 - 13 mph.

MONDAY

Mixing height 2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising to 4300 to 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind SSW to SW at 18 - 32 mph. Surface wind SE to SSW at 9 - 15 mph.

TUESDAY

Mixing height 2900 to 3900 ft during the morning rising to 4300 to 5000 ft during the afternoon. Transport wind WSW to WNW at 18 - 30 mph during the morning becoming SW to WSW at 12 - 24 mph during the afternoon. Surface wind SSW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph.

3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646

- Valid for burning done Saturday and Sunday, February 21 and 22, 2026.

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For Saturday:

Zone 640, 642, and 644 West of R35E:

Follow standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SE through S of SSRAs. For units that will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 15 miles to the SE through S in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.

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

For Sunday:

Follow standard guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SSE through SSW of SSRAs. For units that will smolder significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 8 miles to the SSE through SW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.

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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.