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

Wed Oct 21 14:38:14 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, October 21, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

In the upper atmosphere a ridge builds over the region.  At the surface an area of high pressure pushes in from the southwest and blankets the entire Pacific Northwest by afternoon.  This will suppress mixing heights and give light transport winds to the area.  Mixing heights will be very poor to poor in the north coast range and marginal elsewhere.

    OUTLOOK (FRIDAY-SUNDAY)

An upper trough approaches the Pacific Northwest on Friday.  A warm front brushes extreme northwest Oregon during the afternoon but the following cold front holds off until evening.  Rain continues Saturday with relatively low mixing heights especially in the northwest portion of the region.  A surface high builds in again Sunday further suppressing mixing heights for poor smoke dispersal conditions.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1800 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable but favors South and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
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 1600 - 2600 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable but favors South and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors South and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1100 - 2100 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable but favors E-NE and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind shifts to NW to NNW and increases to 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors E-NE and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1200 - 2200 ft.
Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind light and variable but favors E-NE and controlled by local terrain.

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

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors E-NE and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1700 to 2700 ft by late morning rising to 2600 to 3600 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SW at 8 - 14 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 12 - 24 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 10 - 18 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 2500 to 3500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 2200 to 3200 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to WSW at 9 - 15 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

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

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 602 and 603
No burning allowed.

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 750 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
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T35S.  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.

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

Zone 620
No burning allowed.

Zone 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 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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