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

Sun Jun 20 15:57:12 PDT 2010

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

ISSUED: Sunday, June 20, 2010       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    MONDAY

The upper low that brought clouds and light rain to the region Sunday moves northeast and is over Montana by Monday.  A weak transitory ridge moves over western Oregon during the day.  Weak onshore flow continues at low levels and will result in considerable cloudiness and cool temperatures.  Cool surface temperatures mean lowered mixing heights and smoke dispersal conditions will only be fair most areas.

    OUTLOOK (TUESDAY-THURSDAY)

A weak disturbance aloft increases onshore flow for continued cloudy conditions most zones on Tuesday.  The Medford/Ashland area and the Siskiyous will be just partly cloudy.  On Wednesday a broad upper trough approaches the Pacific Northwest turning upper flow southwesterly.  A weak front will arrive late Wednesday but it doesn't appear that there is much moisture with this system.  Clouds will hold temperatures down for coastal zones, but cooling aloft and better heating inland will push inland zone's mixing heights to about 5000 feet.  On Thursday flow aloft is west-northwesterly with a similar temperature profile to Wednesday.  Thus best smoke dispersal conditions will be away from the coast.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1900 - 2900 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to N to NE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to N to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1900 - 2900 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to N to NE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to N to NE at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.
Transport wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2100 - 3100 ft.
Transport wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NNE to ENE at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NNW to NNE at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind NNW to N at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3600 to 4600 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3700 to 4700 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3800 to 4800 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 Monday, June 21, 2010.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 602, 603, 612, 615, 616 west of R8W, 618, and 619
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of coastal SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 620
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River.  Call the forecaster.

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.  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, 611, 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 617 units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

Zone 616
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

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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