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

Mon Apr 13 14:11:25 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Monday, April 13, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

A cool upper trough will remain over the region overnight tonight and drop slowly south-southeast during the day tomorrow.  Impulses moving from north to south along the west side of this low will keep showers going throughout the day.  Afternoon snow levels will rise to around 2500 feet in the north and 3500 to 4000 feet in the south.  Transport winds will be generally northwesterly and mixing heights will be favorable for good to excellent smoke dispersal conditions.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY)

Showers will end Wednesday with the approach of an upper level ridge from the west.  Smoke dispersal conditions should remain good and transport winds will be northwest to north most areas.  Thursday the upper ridge moves over the area.  Transport winds become light and variable Thursday and Friday and mixing heights lower for deteriorating smoke dispersal conditions.

2.  DISPERSION

Zone 601, 602, 603 and 612 (North Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height lowers to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to NNW at 12 - 24 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNW at 10 - 16 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNW at 14 - 28 mph.
Surface wind decreases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WSW to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height lowers to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind shifts to NW to N and increases to 10 - 16 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2900 - 3900 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 15 - 25 mph.
Surface wind decreases to NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind NW to NNW at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNW at 8 - 14 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY
In the north mixing height 1800 to 2800 ft during the morning rising to 2900 to 3900 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height 3300 to 4300 ft during the morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 12 mph.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 2000 ft by late morning rising to 2500 to 3500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.  Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport in Zone 612.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615, 618, and 619
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1500 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 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 611, 616, 617, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T12S through T17S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 610
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 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.

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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20090413/f394fd68/attachment.html>