SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Tuesday,
April 14, 2026
2:30 PM Gary Votaw
1. DISCUSSION AND
FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON ZONES 624 AND 625
SHORT-TERM
DISCUSSION
Rain and snow will be
widespread on Wednesday. A cold
upper-level trough reaches the coast during the day while a cold front passes
through South-Central Oregon late.
Precipitation will be typically .10” to .25”. Temperatures will be below seasonal levels as
snow levels fall to 3-4000 feet. Mixing
will again be excellent with SW winds turning W-NW by evening.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The trough moves into Idaho Thursday and leaves behind N flow
aloft. There is still a chance of light
snow in the morning, but skies become mostly sunny and remains
cold, 10oF below normal. Cold
air aloft helps mixing heights to stay excellent in NW-N.
On Friday sunny skies are underneath decreasing NNW flow aloft, warmer
but temperatures still below normal.
Burning potential is still very good with light winds, favoring SE-S.
A ridge keeps Saturday mostly
sunny while warmer still. Afternoon mixing will be very good with SE-S
winds.
2. DISPERSION
WEDNESDAY
Mixing height
above 5000 ft throughout the day. Mixing
height lowers to 3000 - 4000 ft during the evening.
Transport wind SW
to WSW at 25 - 43 mph during the morning and afternoon. Transport wind decreases to W to NW at 16 -
30 mph during the evening.
Surface wind SSW
to WSW at 10 - 18 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind decreases to W to NW at 9 - 15
mph during the evening.
OUTLOOK:
THURSDAY
Mixing height
2600 - 3600 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport
wind NW to NNW at 12 - 22 mph during the morning becoming NNW to N at 15
- 29 mph during the afternoon. Surface
wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SE to S at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the
afternoon. Surface wind light and
variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3500 - 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
SE to S at 8 - 14 mph. Surface wind SE
to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZONES 624 AND 625 INCLUDING THE WALKER
RANGE PORTION OF ZONE 624
- Valid for burning done Wednesday, April
15, 2026.
==================================================================
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the SW through NW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
SW through NW 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.
==============================================================
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.