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

Tue Jun 2 14:23:17 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, June 2, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

1.  DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623
A very slow moving upper level low pressure area remains off the California coast on Wednesday.  Counter-clockwise flow around that low will again spread moisture northward into Oregon.  Daytime heating will destabilize the atmosphere and thunderstorms will again be a possibility.  Best chance afternoons and evenings over mountainous areas.  Low level flow will be southerly, switching to southwesterly in the north.  Southern zones will see southwesterly winds switching to northwesterly.  Mixing heights will be high enough to provide for marginal to fair smoke dispersal conditions in coastal sections and good conditions in the Cascades.

OUTLOOK (THURSDAY - SATURDAY)

The upper level low finally moves into California with flow aloft becoming more easterly or northeasterly over the state on Thursday.  The atmosphere will still be unstable and there will still be moisture available for thunderstorms.  The greatest threat of thunderstorms will be in southern sections.  Smoke dispersal conditions will be about the same as on Wednesday.  By Friday the upper low will be over central California with a dryer flow aloft.  The threat for afternoon and evening thunderstorms continues.  Winds will be generally west-northwest.  By Saturday upper flow goes more northerly.  The slow moving upper low drifts into Nevada and another upper low forms in Alberta.  The atmosphere will remain a bit unstable, but with diminished moisture the threat of thunderstorms decreases considerably but smoke dispersal conditions remain favorable.

2.  DISPERSION

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

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

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind increases to W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to SW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3200 - 4200 ft.
Transport wind NE to E at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to NNW to N at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South 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 W to NW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

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

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft after sunset.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
In the north mixing height 1600 to 2600 ft during the morning rising to 3200 to 4200 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height 3300 to 4300 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 2000 ft by late morning rising to 2800 to 3800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2100 to 3100 ft by late morning rising to 3800 to 4800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSW to SW at 8 - 14 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.

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

Coast Range

***Avoid ignitions before 11:00am in all zones.***

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

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 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 618
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 619
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620
No burning allowed.  Some burning allowed 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.  Verify transport winds away from SSRA if burning within 10 miles of the SSRA in Zone 605 and 606.  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 610
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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.

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