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

Wed Apr 29 14:29:43 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, April 29, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The upper low that brought wet, cool weather to the Pacific Northwest has been slow to move out but by Thursday afternoon should be just a memory.  There could be a shower or two early lingering over the Cascades, but by afternoon skies should be partly cloudy to mostly sunny for the area.  Transport winds in the northern zones will be east-northeast to north while southern sections will see flow from the northeast becoming northwest during the afternoon.  Mixing heights should remain high for favorable smoke dispersal conditions.

    OUTLOOK (FRIDAY-SUNDAY):

Overnight Thursday a Pacific weather system approaches Oregon from the southwest.  Expect rain by early morning in the southwestern part of the state, spreading north and east during the day.  Rainfall amounts will be fairly heavy for this time of year.  Winds will vary from east through north in the north and from south to southeast in the south.  Mixing heights will remain fairly high in spite of warm overrunning stabilizing the atmosphere somewhat.  Another Pacific cold front approaches during the day on Saturday, moving through later in the day to keep rain going most areas.  Moist west-southwest flow over the region continues Sunday for wet weather.  Mixing heights remain favorable for good smoke dispersal throughout the outlook period.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 3100 - 4100 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to N to NE at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NNE to NE at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3900 - 4900 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 N to ENE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to N to NE at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NE to ENE at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 3600 - 4600 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height lowers to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3600 - 4600 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3700 to 4700 ft by late morning lowering to 2700 to 3700 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind ESE to SSE at 8 - 14 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming N to NE at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height 1900 to 2900 ft during the morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 20 mph during the morning becoming SSW to SW at 12 - 24 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 16 mph during the morning becoming SSW to SW at 10 - 22 mph during the afternoon.

SUNDAY
Mixing height 3000 to 4000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to WSW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSW to WSW at 8 - 14 mph during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Thursday, April 30, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, 615, 616 west of R8W, 618, and 619
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid ignitions north of Forest Grove/Hillsboro or Sheridan/Willamina in Zone 602.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 620, and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T20S in Zone 606.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 607, 608, and 616
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 609, 610, and 611
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 617
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 623
Units should be 1500 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.

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