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

Mon May 25 14:32:16 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Monday, May 25, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The Pacific Northwest will remain under a generally west-southwest flow aloft on Tuesday.  A weak front will move by to the north, but any rain will be confined to Washington.  Mixing heights should be favorable for good smoke dispersal, with higher mixing heights over the Cascades than for the coastal mountains.  Transport winds will be generally southwesterly through west in the north, becoming west through northwest in the afternoon.  In the south expect northwest transport winds all day.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY)

Weak ridging aloft will continue the dry weather for the area on Wednesday.  Transport winds will be west to northwest.  Mixing heights still good although down from Tuesday.  Thursday and Friday the ridge sharpens a bit with its axis to the east for more southerly flow over the region.  This could allow isolated thunder storms over mountainous areas.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 4200 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height lowers to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind shifts to W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1000 - 1900 ft.
Transport wind W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North 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 W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3200 - 4200 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2200 - 3200 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1400 - 2400 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2600 - 3600 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 WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3100 - 4100 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1300 to 2300 ft by late morning rising to 2600 to 3600 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 3300 to 4300 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 light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2100 to 3100 ft by late morning rising to 3400 to 4400 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NNW to NE 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 Tuesday, May 26, 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.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  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.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Units may be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

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 allowed 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 5 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 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.  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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