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

Fri Dec 4 14:27:34 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Friday, December 4, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

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

Dry cold front and trough will drop down from the north this afternoon and evening and bring cooling temperatures aloft.  Once the front moves through overnight, wind flow will increase from the NE to E and bring chilly surface winds to the region.  Air mass will destabilize some as the cooler air moves in.  Smoke dispersion will become mostly good by tomorrow afternoon.

    OUTLOOK (SUNDAY - TUESDAY)

Another more arctic-like front will drop southward Saturday night to Sunday morning bringing very cold temperatures and the chance of some light snow or snow flurries Sunday.  Air mass will destabilize completely and wind flow will remain offshore.  Cold pool of air settles in over the state for the rest of the period as the upper level low slowly moves to the south of the region.  Decreasing wind flow and warming aloft while temperatures remain cold near the surface, will stabilize the air mass again.  Smoke dispersion will be the best Sunday then worsen Monday and Tuesday.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 - 3000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NE to ENE at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind NNE to NE at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind N to NE at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind N to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NE to ENE at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind NE to ENE at 8 - 12 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind shifts to NNW to NNE at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind N to NE at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind N to NE at 6 - 10 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NE to E at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind light and variable but favors NE to E and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NNE to ENE at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable but favors NE to E.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors NE to E and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early, rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 4000 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NE to ENE at 10 - 18 mph.  Surface wind NE to E at 6 - 12 mph.

MONDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 2800 to 3800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NE to E at 10 - 20 mph.  Surface wind ENE to E at 8 - 14 mph.

TUESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 2000 ft by late morning rising to 1800 to 2800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind N to NE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, 2009.
=================================================================

For Saturday:

Coast Range

Zone 601, 602, 603, 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 616 east of R9W and 620
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River in Zone 620.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T20S in Zone 606.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 607 and 608
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609 and 610
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 611
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 616, 617, and 623
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620 and 622
No burning allowed.

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

For Sunday:

Coast Range

All Zones
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606
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 and 608
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609 and 610
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 611
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 616 and 617
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620, 622, and 623
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 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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