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

Tue Jun 16 14:11:19 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, June 16, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

Upper flow over the Pacific Northwest will be generally from the west or northwest during the day on Wednesday.  A weak surface ridge axis to the west, over the Pacific, will give onshore flow, with generally northwesterly transport winds during the day.  Mixing heights will be high enough to give fair to good smoke dispersal conditions.  Skies will be mostly cloudy in the north and partly sunny in the south.

OUTLOOK (THURSDAY - SATURDAY)

Upper flow remains westerly Thursday and Friday with minor embedded impulses moving through the flow.  Right now it looks like Friday will be dry, but I can't rule out a couple of showers in the north on Thursday.  An approaching trough Saturday will increase the chances for showers.  Low level wind flow will remain generally northwesterly.  Mixing heights will be mostly in the 3-4000 foot range in the coast range and in the 4-5000 foot range in the Cascades.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind WSW to NW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind W to NW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2400 - 3400 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 4000 - 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 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
Mixing height 2500 to 3500 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1600 to 2600 ft by late morning rising to 3900 to 4900 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph 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 Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 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 10 miles apart, and 12 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 2000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 618 and 619
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River.  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 8 miles apart.

Zone 610
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 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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