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

Tue Apr 28 14:34:19 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, April 28, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The upper low that brought clouds, rain and cool temperatures to the Pacific Northwest will track west to east across the state on Wednesday.  This will keep showers going thought the area.  The cool air aloft with this system will keep mixing heights high and smoke dispersal conditions should be good to excellent.  Transport winds, however, will be highly variable in direction.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY - SATURDAY):

On Thursday the upper low slowly pulls out to the east allowing weak ridging to build.  Mixing heights should remain high for good to excellent smoke dispersal conditions.  Winds will go offshore, generally east through northeast across western Oregon.  By Friday a Pacific weather system will approach from the southwest.  Models differ on the initial strength of this system but for now it looks like rain reaching southwest Oregon early in the morning with precipitation spreading northward to extreme northwest Oregon by Friday evening.  A Pacific cold front moves onshore on Saturday and the weekend looks quite wet.  Good smoke dispersal conditions through the outlook period, but shifting winds each day, and conditions likely too wet to burn.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

EVENING
Mixing height 2900 - 3900 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to WSW to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3300 to 4300 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NNE to ENE at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3800 to 4800 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming E to SE at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind E to SE at 8 - 12 mph.

SATURDAY
Mixing height 2000 to 3000 ft during the morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming S to SW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph during the morning becoming S to SW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
=================================================================

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.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S.  Call the forecaster.

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.

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 T35S.  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 5 miles apart.

Zone 610
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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