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

Sun May 31 13:57:54 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Sunday, May 31, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

An upper level ridge centered over the northern Great Basin will keep conditions warm into the first part of next week.  Southerly flow will continue to produce enough moisture for the threat of afternoon and evening thunderstorms mainly over the Cascades.  Nighttime inversions will hold smoke close to the ground overnight and into the morning hours.  During the afternoon mixing heights will improve smoke dispersal conditions to poor in the north Coast Range, and fair in the South Coast range.  Smoke dispersal conditions reach moderate during the afternoon in the Cascades.

    OUTLOOK (TUESDAY - THURSDAY)

The upper level ridge slips slowly eastward and an upper level low moves slightly closer to the California coastline on Monday.  Counter-clockwise flow around that low could bring some of the Cascade thunderstorms west into the Willamette Valley or the Coast Range.  The upper low remains off the California coast through the outlook period.  Afternoon instability will help smoke dispersion, but the window for acceptable smoke dispersal conditions remains narrow with unfavorable conditions evenings and mornings.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1700 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1100 - 2100 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to NNW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NNW to NNE at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind increases to NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 - 3500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

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

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 4100 - 5000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height lowers to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

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

OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1700 to 2700 ft by late morning rising to 3300 to 4300 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2600 to 3600 ft by late morning rising to 3800 to 4800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to W at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3000 to 4000 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 2800 to 3800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming S to SW 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 Monday, June 1, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 500 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 and 603
No burning allowed.  Some burning is possible south of T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

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
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

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 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.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 617 units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

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

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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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