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 NORTHEAST FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
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 East Oregon.
Precipitation looks to be typically .25” or less but reaching .50” in
mountains. Temperatures will be below seasonal
levels as snow levels fall late to 3000 feet.
Burning potential is excellent with SW winds trending W-NW in afternoon
and evening.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
The trough moves into Idaho Thursday and leaves behind N flow
aloft. Expect areas of light snow but
clouds decrease in afternoon, temperatures around 15oF below normal. Cold air aloft helps mixing heights stay
excellent in NW winds.
On Friday sunny skies are underneath decreasing NNW flow aloft,
warmer but temperatures still below normal.
Burning potential is still very good with light W winds.
A ridge keeps Saturday mostly sunny while warmer still. Afternoon mixing will be very good with S-SW
winds.
2. DISPERSION
WEDNESDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
above 5000 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind
WSW to W at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 6 - 12 mph during the morning and afternoon. Surface wind increases to W to NW at 10 - 16
mph during the evening.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
above 5000 ft throughout the day.
Transport wind
SSW to SW at 15 - 29 mph during the morning.
Transport wind shifts to WNW to NW at 15 - 29 mph during the afternoon
then increases to W to NW at 25 - 45 mph during the evening.
Surface wind SSE
to SW at 6 - 12 mph during the morning.
Surface wind shifts to NW to NNW and increases
to 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon and evening.
OUTLOOK:
THURSDAY
Mixing height
3800 to 4800 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the
afternoon. Transport wind WNW to NNW at
15 - 25 mph. Surface wind WNW to NNW at
6 - 10 mph.
FRIDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph. Surface wind
light and variable.
SATURDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
S to SW at 9 - 15 mph. Surface wind SE
to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.
3. BURNING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Wednesday, April
15, 2026.
==================================================================
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through
WNW of SSRAs. 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 SSW through NW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 5 miles to the
SSW through NNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Watch for shifting transport winds. 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.