SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED:
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 2:30
PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
On Thursday NW
flow aloft weakens. Expect sunny skies with
temperatures moving to about 5oF above normal. Mixing conditions remain excellent with as
winds become N-NE in afternoon.
EXTENDED
DISCUSSION
Flow aloft
becomes SW-W on Friday through Sunday. Little
change in conditions will occur, sunny and warm with temperatures around 10oF
above seasonal each day. Burning
potential is still excellent on all of the afternoons while transport winds are
SW.
2. DISPERSION
THURSDAY
Mixing height below
1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and throughout the afternoon.
Transport wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain. Transport wind increases to N to NE at 9 - 15
mph during the evening.
Surface wind
light and variable and controlled by local terrain. Surface wind increases to N to NE at 8 - 12
mph during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind NNE to ENE at
6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph during the
afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind SSW to WSW at
9 - 15 mph. Surface wind SSW to WSW at 4
- 8 mph.
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning and through the
afternoon. Transport wind SSW to WSW at
9 - 15 mph. Surface wind S to SW at 4 -
8 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625
INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Thursday, May 21,
2026.
==================================================================
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the NW through ENE
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
NW through E in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
==============================================================
4. SPECIAL NOTE:
The smoke management forecaster is
available at (503)
945-7401.
The smoke management forecaster is available
to discuss specific burns. The duty forecaster phone
number is (503) 945-7401. Please call this
number and
not individual's numbers to discuss daily
burning. Please
avoid calling between 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/
Daily/lmt.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.