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

[ODF Smoke Management Instructions]

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

ISSUED: Thursday, May 21, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Trost

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

Fairly non-descript pattern aloft.  Weak upper level ridge is over the northern Rockies, while the upstream trough is well to the west.  This leaves generally westerly flow aloft.  A minor short-wave trough slides toward the area Friday but will have little impact beyond an increase in morning low clouds in the west.  Otherwise, pleasant day with generally northerly low level flow.  Will need to watch for increased onshore flow along the coast as the short-wave approaches.  In the interior, daytime mixing will be good but the onshore flow of cooler marine air will tend to limit mixing west of the Coast Range crest.

    OUTLOOK (SATURDAY - MONDAY)

Tendency over the next few days will be for gradual strengthening of the ridge aloft and, consequently, a gradual lowering of the daytime mixing height over most of the area.  Daytime heating will be sufficient in the southern interior to keep daytime mixing height up.  However, overnight mixing becomes very poor throughout western Oregon.  Any unit that would smolder into the night should be avoided near SSRAs or drainages into those areas.  Low level wind flow continues generally northerly through the period.  Direction tends slightly offshore during the nights and early mornings and more onshore during the afternoon.  Overall trend will be toward gradually worsening dispersion as the Memorial Day weekend approaches.

2.  DISPERSION

Zone 601-603, 612 and 615-620 (North and South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2800 - 3800 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3100 - 4100 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height drops below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 and 616-623 (North and South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height near to above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind NW to N at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.

OUTLOOK:

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early, 2600 to 3600 ft by late morning, and 3600 to 4600 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.  Surface wind light and variable, becoming NW to N at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early, rising to 2300 to 3300 ft by late morning, and 3300 to 4300 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NNE at 8 - 14 mph.  Surface wind NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph during the morning, becoming NW to N at 8 - 14 mph in the afternoon.

MONDAY (Memorial Day)
Mixing height below 1000 ft early, 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning, and 3600 to 4600 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NNE at 8 - 14 mph.  Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Friday, May 22, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, and 616 east of R9W
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.  Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport in Zone 612.  Call the forecaster.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S in Zone 616.

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 T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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

Zone 620
No burning allowed.  Some burning possible south of T36.  Call the forecaster.
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Cascades

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 300 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

All Other Zones
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  Verify transport winds away from SSRA if planning to burn within 10 miles of the SSRA in Zone 605 and 606.  South of T30S in Zone 616 and 617, units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.
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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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