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

Tue May 12 16:00:03 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, May 12, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

A Pacific weather system moves in from the west-southwest during the day Wednesday.  Rain reaches the coast early afternoon and covers all of western Oregon by early evening.  Mixing heights remain high for good smoke dispersal conditions.  Transport in winds in the north start out southeast then become more southerly as the front approaches and its parent low tracks into western Washington.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY):

High pressure aloft builds on Thursday.  Showers are sill possible early in the day but should end as the air mass stabilizes.  Mixing heights should remain favorable for good smoke dispersal however and transport winds will be generally southwesterly.  Expect continued high pressure aloft on Friday and Saturday for dry weather.  Nighttime inversions will trap residual smoke near the ground but daytime heating should push mixing heights to the 3500 to 4500 foot range for fair  to good smoke dispersal conditions.  Transport winds late in the week will be generally northwesterly to northerly.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 2100 - 3100 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind E to SE at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind increases to S to SSW at 15 - 29 mph.
Surface wind shifts to SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind SSW at 20 - 36 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to SSW to SW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind increases to SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 15 - 25 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3300 - 4300 ft.
Transport wind increases to SW to W at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to SSW to W at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2800 - 3800 ft.
Transport wind SSW to WSW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2900 - 3900 ft.
Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WSW to NW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2900 - 3900 ft.
Transport wind SW to W at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
Mixing height 2800 to 3800 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to WSW at 10 - 18 mph.  Surface wind S to SW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning becoming WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind ENE to E at 9 - 15 mph during the morning becoming NW to N at 8 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2900 to 3900 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.  Surface wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, 615, 616 west of R8W, and 620
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S in Zone 616.  Call the forecaster.  No burning allowed south of T35S in Zone 620.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Units may be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S.  Call the forecaster.

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.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 616, 617, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 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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