SMI West (Smoke Management Instructions) Western Oregon Smoke Management Instructions

Thu Apr 9 14:30:22 PDT 2009

SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Thursday, April 9, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

1.  DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623

Upper level trough will move in tonight and stretch to the south keeping the air mass cool and unstable.  Expect a few lingering showers but mainly over the mountains.  Otherwise look for partly to mostly cloudy skies.  Wind flow will be light onshore but with good mixing, smoke dispersion should be mostly good.

    OUTLOOK (SATURDAY - MONDAY)

Upper level trough weakens and moves to the east Saturday allowing for a minor upper level ridge to build in.  Ridge won't be strong enough to keep clouds away and it's possible there may be a few sprinkles.  Next front and trough move in on Easter and promise to bring plenty of rain in most locations.  Expect fairly breezy conditions as well with this rather strong late season front.  Front moves by to the east later Sunday with the upper trough following on Monday.  Snow level will lower from 4000 - 6000 ft Sunday to near 2000 ft Monday morning.  Air mass will remain mostly unstable through the period and smoke dispersion good to excellent.

2.  DISPERSION

Zone 601-612 (North Coast Range and Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 3000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind light and variable but favors S to W and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW to W at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WSW to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors S to W and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-623 (South Coast Range and Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 3000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable but favors SW to NW.
Surface wind light and variable but favors W to NW.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable but favors SW to NW.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors W to NW.

OUTLOOK:

SATURDAY
Mixing height 3300 to 4300 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

SUNDAY
Mixing height 2800 to 3800 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to WSW at 20 - 35 mph during the morning becoming WSW to W at 15 - 30 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind S to SW at 10 - 16 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

MONDAY
Mixing height above 5000 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind SW to W at 10 - 16 mph.  Surface wind SW to W at 5 - 9 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Friday, April 10, 2009.
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Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 602, 603, and 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Units may be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T35S in Zone 620.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 618
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 619
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 616, 617, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T15S through T20S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 610 and 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Siskiyous
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

==============================================================
4.  SPECIAL NOTE:

    Call the smoke management duty forecaster at (503) 945-7401 to
    discuss burning.  Please do not call individual's numbers to
    discuss daily burning.  If the forecaster is not available,
    leave a message and he will return your call as soon as possible.
    Avoid calling between 2 to 2:30 p.m.

    The forecast is available on the Internet at:
      http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml/#Smoke_Management

    Please ensure your units have been planned and accomplished by checking:
      http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/SMP/dailysmoke.shtml

5.  STANDARD GUIDANCE MATRIX:

  * Greater than 5000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 5 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 100 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  500 ton maximum allowed if burned 5 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * 3000 - 5000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 10 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 75 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  750 ton maximum allowed if burned 10 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * Less than 3000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 15 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 50 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  750 ton maximum allowed if burned 15 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * All exceptions must be coordinated with the duty forecaster
    prior to ignition.

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