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

Wed Nov 24 14:19:48 PST 2010

SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Wednesday, November 24, 2010       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

****Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Friday furlough, and little burning over the weekend, the smoke management office will not be staffed again until Monday, November 29th.  If there are landowners thinking of burning over the holiday weekend, please call to coordinate by 4 p.m. this afternoon.****

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

Upper level ridge is building into the region today and will gradually moderate the arctic air that's been over the state since yesterday.  Ridge will slowly flatten on Thanksgiving as the next frontal system approaches.  Cloud cover today is mainly the result of a strong jet stream coming down from the north which is part of our current cold spell.  Higher clouds should slowly dissipate overnight as the ridge moves inland.  Air mass is stabilizing and may lead to some fog formation in the valleys tomorrow morning.  Next front will increase clouds later Thursday but moisture is generally not expected until Friday.  With residual surface cold air and warming aloft, along with only light wind flow, expect very poor smoke dispersion.

    OUTLOOK (FRIDAY - SUNDAY)

Forming upper level trough in the eastern Pacific will eject a front into the state on Friday, bringing increasing rain Friday morning.  The front will gradually scour the air shed on Friday.  However, the air mass will not likely destabilize completely until Saturday when the upper level trough arrives.  Rain turns to showers on Saturday.  Snow level will rise to near 5000 ft Thursday and Friday, then lower to near 2000 ft on Saturday.  Upper trough moves off to the east on Sunday with a minor ridge moving in during the afternoon.  Air mass should remain mostly unstable on Sunday then stabilize Sunday evening.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 1700 ft by late morning.

Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.

Surface wind light and variable but favors SE to S and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.

Transport wind SE to SSW at 6 - 12 mph.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.

Transport wind similar to afternoon.

Surface wind increases to SE to S at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 615-623 (South Coast Range and Cascades):

MORNING

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 - 1500 ft by late morning.

Transport wind ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind light and variable but favors SE to S and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.

Transport wind SE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.

Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING

Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.

Transport wind similar to afternoon.

Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY

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 SSE to SSW at 10 - 20 mph during the morning becoming S to SSW at 15 - 30 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph.

SATURDAY

Mixing height 3800 to 4800 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to W at 8 - 12 mph.  Surface wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.

SUNDAY

Mixing height 3500 to 4500 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to W at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SW at 4 - 8 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA

These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Thursday, November 25, 2010.

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Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612

Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 602 and 603

No burning allowed.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Units may be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 615, 618, 619, and 620

Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.

Zone 616 west of R8W

Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 616 east of R9W

Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605 and 606

No burning allowed.

Zone 607, 608, 611, and 617

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

Zone 609, 610, and 623

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.  Avoid ignitions north of T24S.  South of T29S higher tonnage is possible.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 620 and 622

Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous

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

==============================================================

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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