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

Wed May 13 14:31:11 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, May 13, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

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

Upper level trough is driving a front through the region today.  Rain is falling over most of the western part of the state with scattered showers east of the Cascades.  The upper trough will follow overnight to bring the snow level down to the Cascade passes and maybe a little lower.  The trough will move by to the east Thursday with showers decreasing.  An upper level ridge will start building in Thursday evening, clearing skies and starting the stabilization process.  Expect good smoke dispersion Thursday under good mixing and modest westerly flow.

    OUTLOOK (FRIDAY - SUNDAY)

Upper level ridge builds in strongly beginning Friday and lasting through the weekend.  Expect warm temperatures and sunny skies.  Air mass will stabilize during the night and morning hours but then destabilize nicely, especially inland areas, during the afternoon.  Wind flow turns light northerly.  Expect mostly fair smoke dispersion.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WSW to WNW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 3000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind W to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind shifts to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 615-623 (South Coast Range and Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind light and variable but favors W to NW and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 3000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3300 to 4300 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNE to ENE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NE at 5 - 9 mph.  Surface wind NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Thursday, May 14, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.

Zone 602, 603, and 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 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.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T35S in Zone 620.  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.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 616, 617, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T15S through T20S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 610, 611, and 620
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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

==============================================================
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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