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

Fri Oct 23 14:27:11 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Friday, October 23, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

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

Cold front is moving through the region today bringing decent rains to mainly the north half of the state.  Upper level ridge will quickly rebuild tomorrow, stabilizing the air mass and reducing wind flow.  Expect a fair and dry day on Saturday with patchy morning fog in the valleys.  Smoke dispersion will decrease considerably from today under the building ridge.

    OUTLOOK (SUNDAY - TUESDAY)

Upper ridge will remain over the state Sunday but a warm front will overrun it, bringing another round of moisture beginning Sunday afternoon.  Air mass will remain stable but smoke dispersion will improve as SW'erly flow increases.  The trailing cold front will move through on Monday bringing plenty of moisture and cooler, unstable conditions.  Upper trough moves through later Monday with chilly northerly flow following on Tuesday.  Showers decrease.  By later Monday the snow level will lower to near 3500 ft in the north and lower to near 2500 ft by early Tuesday.  Expect plenty of snow in the mountains from this system.  Mixing and smoke dispersion will be mostly excellent Monday and Tuesday.

2.  DISPERSION

Zone 601-612 (North Coast Range and Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 3000 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NNW to NE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind N to NE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to N to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

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

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height below 2000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind NE to E at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind NNE to E at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NNE to ENE at 4 - 8 mph.

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

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 2000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind light and variable but favors NW to NE and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2000 - 3000 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.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 2000 ft by late morning rising to 1500 to 2500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SE to S at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 10 - 22 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming S to SW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

MONDAY
Mixing height 2500 to 3500 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind W to NW at 13 - 25 mph.  Surface wind WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.

TUESDAY
Mixing height above 5000 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind NW to N at 9 - 15 mph.  Surface wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Saturday, October 24, 2009.
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Coast Range

All Zones except Zone 602 and 603
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 602 and 603
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.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T20S in Zone 606 and along the eastern edges of Zone 605 and 606.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 607 and 608
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609, 610, and 611
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 616
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 617
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart.

Zone 620 and 622
No burning allowed.

Zone 623
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 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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