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

Wed Jun 10 14:28:21 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, June 10, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

Upper air charts still show a rather weak, ill defined flow over the Pacific Northwest on Thursday.  A weak upper low off the southern Oregon coast will keep conditions unstable and there will likely be scattered showers and possibly a thunderstorm developing...mainly over the mountains.  Low level gradients are onshore and will continue Thursday.  The instability means high mixing heights and generally good smoke dispersal conditions.

OUTLOOK (FRIDAY - SUNDAY)

The weak low drifts to over northwest California on Friday.  Southerly flow aloft over the area will increase the chances for thunderstorms during the afternoon.  Mixing heights remain high.  The low remains nearly stationary for Saturday for little change in the overall weather pattern.  Mixing heights will remain favorable and low level flow will be onshore and generally northwesterly through the weekend.  Upper troughiness continues Sunday for an unstable atmosphere and generally good mixing heights.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 4100 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4100 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

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

Zone 605-611 and 616-623 (North and 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 NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

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 increases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3800 - 4800 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
In the north mixing height 2100 to 3100 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height 3000 to 4000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.  Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Thursday, June 11, 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.

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
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.

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 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.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 617 units should be 750 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.

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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