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

Tue May 11 14:53:45 PDT 2010

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, May 11, 2010       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    WEDNESDAY

An upper level ridge slowly moves eastward across the region. By late afternoon the axis of this ridge extends from eastern British Columbia to southwestern Oregon.  Upper level flow will be light northwesterly with dry weather and afternoon sunshine most areas.  Temperatures will warm both at the surface and aloft.  The warmer temperatures aloft will help suppress maximum mixing heights.  Clearing skies at night will allow surface based inversions to form and trap any residual smoke near the surface overnight and into early morning hours.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-FRIDAY)

The upper ridge weakens on Thursday with a light, generally westerly, flow aloft throughout the outlook period.  Periodic minor impulses ripple across the region in the westerlies aloft but should do little to affect sensible weather.  Weather will remain dry.  Skies will be generally sunny.  Mixing heights fairly high for generally good smoke dispersal conditions.  Clearing skies at night will allow surface based inversions to form and trap any residual smoke near the surface overnight and into early morning hours.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 2200 - 3200 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind N to NE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind N to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NE at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3600 - 4600 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3300 - 4300 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 8 - 14 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising to 4400 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3500 to 4500 ft by late morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 to 3000 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2800 to 3800 ft by late morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2600 to 3600 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3800 to 4800 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 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 Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, and 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.  Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport in Zone 612.  Call the forecaster.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S in Zone 616.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 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 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 750 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 and 608
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609, 610, 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 5 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 617 units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20100511/0d85e43e/attachment.html>