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

Fri May 29 14:31:34 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Friday, May 29, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

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

Upper level ridge will remain in place through Saturday with the axis of the ridge near the Oregon/Idaho border.  Expect continued summer-like weather.  Air mass will remain stable except for brief afternoon instability inland due to daytime heating.  Some thunderstorm buildups will continue in the afternoon to evening over the Cascades - mainly the southern half.  Wind flow will remain weak and favor generally a NW to NE flow.  Smoke dispersion will remain poor to fair.

    OUTLOOK (SUNDAY - TUESDAY)

Upper level ridge starts weakening on Sunday as a trough moves down from the north and an upper low approaches from the southwest.  However, expect continued warm and dry conditions.  Thundershower threat will get pushed mainly southward.  Eventually the upper level low in the eastern Pacific and to the southwest of the state will move close enough to bring increased clouds and maybe some moisture over the region on Tuesday.  Air mass will destabilize more then.  Wind flow will remain light and mostly northerly Sunday and Monday.  As the low approaches Tuesday, wind flow appears it will turn lightly offshore.  Smoke dispersion will remain poor to fair Sunday and Monday, then improve Tuesday.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 2000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1700 - 2700 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable but favors NNW to NNE and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 2000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind N to NE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 2000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable but favors NW to N.
Surface wind light and variable but favors NW to N and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind shifts to WSW to NW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 2000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2700 - 3700 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable but favors W to N and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 2500 ft after sunset.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early, rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 2700 to 3700 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early, rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming W to NW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

MONDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3200 to 4200 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 during the morning becoming NW to N at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

TUESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind ENE to ESE at 4 - 8 mph.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Saturday, May 30, 2009.
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Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, 618, and 619
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport in Zone 612.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 602, 603, and 616 east of R9W
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid ignitions north of Forest Grove/Hillsboro or Sheridan/Willamina in Zone 602.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615 and 616 west of R8W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Verify transport winds away from SSRA if burning within 10 miles of the SSRA.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T20S in Zone 606.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 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.

Zone 610
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 622
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  East of R2W, 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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