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

Mon May 18 09:59:03 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Sunday, May 17, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The upper ridge over the Pacific Northwest that brought sunshine and warm weather to the region over the weekend will slowly move east.  A trough in the Gulf of Alaska will strengthen and move toward Washington during the day.  Low level flow will go onshore and temperatures should be down a couple of degrees, and humidities will be up.  Maximum mixing heights will climb to the 4-5000 foot range for good smoke dispersal conditions during the afternoon hours.

    OUTLOOK (TUESDAY - THURSDAY):

The trough in the Gulf of Alaska becomes an upper level low by Tuesday and tracks across southern British Columbia.  Light rain from a weak Pacific cold front will move in early.  Rain will be light with greatest amounts in the north but some rain reaching as far south as southwestern Oregon.  Tuesday mixing heights should provide for excellent smoke dispersal conditions during the afternoon. By Wednesday the upper trough tracks east and weak high pressure develops aloft. Expect onshore flow, north to northwest transport winds and fair go good smoke dispersal conditions.  A very weak upper trough develops that could touch off some mountain showers Thursday evening.  Thursday transport winds will be northerly to northwesterly.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1900 - 2900 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to SSW to WSW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind increases to SW to W at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 12 - 24 mph.
Surface wind SW to W at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3300 - 4300 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 SW to W at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1800 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3300 - 4300 ft.
Transport wind increases to W to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NW at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to W to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 10 - 18 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.

OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY
Mixing height 4200 to 5000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.  Surface wind SW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming W to NW at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning rising to 3100 to 4100 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NNE at 8 - 12 mph.  Surface wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 4000 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming NW to N at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming NW to N at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Monday, May 18, 2009.
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Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Units may be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 615 and 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 618
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 619
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620
No burning allowed.  Some burning allowed south of T35S.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 616, 617, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T18S through T22S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

Zone 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 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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