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

Tue Dec 22 14:44:19 PST 2009

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

NOTE:  Fall season smoke management forecasts and instructions will end for 2009 with the forecast issued tomorrow, December 23d.  A forecaster will remain available weekdays for consultation throughout the winter.  Regular, daily forecasts will begin again in the spring when burning activity increases.

ISSUED: Tuesday, December 22, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

  ** Dry and Stable Period Next Few Days **
** Unfavorable  Smoke Dispersal Conditions **

Pacific Northwest Weather will be dominated by an upper ridge through the end of the week.  On Wednesday the axis of this ridge will be about 200 miles west of the coastline and will essentially remain stationary throughout the day.  At the surface highest pressures will be over southern British Columbia.  This will give light east-northeast winds to most areas.  Mixing heights will allow for only poor smoke dispersal conditions.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY)

The upper ridge continues its slow eastward movement.  On Thursday it is just off the coast and on Friday the ridge axis finally moves over Oregon and Washington.  The ridge pattern starts to slowly break down on Saturday with only a marginal improvement in smoke dispersal conditions.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 1700 ft.
Transport wind increases to NE to E at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NE to ENE at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 1800 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.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1500 ft.
Transport wind ENE to ESE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind ENE to ESE at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 1900 ft.
Transport wind increases to ENE to E at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NE to E at 5 - 9 mph.

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

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 1600 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:

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1000 to 1600 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind E to ESE at 8 - 12 mph.  Surface wind E to SE at 5 - 9 mph.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1000 to 2000 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 Wednesday, December 23, 2009.
=================================================================

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, 606, 620, and 622
No burning allowed.

Zone 607, 608, 616, 617, and 623
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609, 610, and 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 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/20091222/e79fec65/attachment.html>