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

Mon Jun 15 14:30:47 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Monday, June 15, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The upper trough that has been over the area finally moves east but another, minor, upper disturbance moves into southern British Columbia and western Washington tomorrow.  I anticipate little, if any, precipitation from this system.  On the other hand, continued instability may be enough to touch off an afternoon shower or thunderstorm over the southern Cascades on Tuesday.  Mixing heights should remain favorable for fair to good smoke dispersal, but a generally westerly transport flow will limit opportunities in the coast range and especially near corridors leading to the Willamette Valley.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY)

As a generally west-to-east flow sets up aloft a minor ridge of high pressure moves through the region Wednesday and Thursday.  Mixing heights remain fairly high and smoke dispersal conditions remain fair to good.  Transport winds stay generally westerly.  Mixing heights are suppressed somewhat by Friday but fair to good smoke dispersal conditions will continue during the afternoons.

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 2400 - 3400 ft.
Transport wind increases to SW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to SW to WNW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1000 - 1700 ft.
Transport wind WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3900 - 4900 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to SW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 2400 - 3400 ft.
Transport wind WSW to WNW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1400 - 2400 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3300 - 4300 ft.
Transport wind increases to WSW to NW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to W to NW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1900 - 2900 ft.
Transport wind W to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

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 WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3700 - 4700 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3700 to 4700 ft by late morning and through the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3100 to 4100 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

FRIDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1800 to 2800 ft by late morning rising to 3000 to 4000 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising to 4200 to 5000 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 Tuesday, June 16, 2009.
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Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 500 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.)  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Units may be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

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, 616, 617, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T15S through T20S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 610, 611, and 620
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 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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