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

Wed Oct 14 14:26:05 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, October 14, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

Thursday western Oregon will be between weather systems most of the day as an upper ridge develops just to the east of the area.  The ridge axis will be from eastern British Columbia to south-central Oregon.  Temperatures should return to near average for mid October and winds will not be as strong as on Tuesday.  Mixing heights should be high enough for fair to good smoke dispersal conditions in the south but only marginal conditions in the north.

OUTLOOK (FRIDAY-SUNDAY)

The upper ridge axis moves slowly east on Friday and a Pacific front approaches slowly.  Rain should hold off until Saturday.  Again mixing heights should be high enough for marginal smoke dispersal conditions in the north coast range and fair to good elsewhere.  On Saturday a front drags through western Oregon with rain likely throughout the area.  Amounts will be lighter than on Wednesday, however.  Sunday sees western Oregon again between weather systems for dry weather.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1300 - 2300 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind similar to morning.

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

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1100 - 2100 ft.
Transport wind SE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind SE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind increases to N to SE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind SE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind SSE to SW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 4000 to 5000 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  Transport wind SE to S at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 10 - 18 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SE to S at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SW to WSW at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2400 to 3400 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to SW at 10 - 20 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1900 ft by late morning rising to 3100 to 4100 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Thursday, October 15, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 602 and 603
No burning allowed.

Zone 615, 616, 618, 619, and 620
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607, 608, 609, 617, 620, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 610 and 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid ignitions north of T24S.  South of T29S higher tonnage is possible.  Call the forecaster.

Siskiyous
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

==============================================================
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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20091014/c0723632/attachment.html>