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

Wed Nov 25 14:27:24 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Wednesday, November 25, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

****Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, state furlough day, and the decrease in burning, the smoke management office will not be staffed from Thursday, Nov. 26th through Sunday, November 29th.  If you have questions about burning through the holiday weekend, please call 503-945-7401 before 5:00 p.m. today.  Forecasts and instructions will be issued Monday morning for burning on Nov. 30th.****

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

Upper level ridge is sliding to the east today and will give way to a frontal system that will slowly move in on Thanksgiving.  Moisture will begin along the north coast early in the morning and spread south and east through the day.  Air mass will slowly destabilize during the day but remain mostly stable until overnight when the cooler air moves in aloft.  Winds will increase from the south and provide good smoke dispersion.

    OUTLOOK (FRIDAY - SUNDAY)

Upper level trough moves in early Friday morning bringing cool, showery, and unstable conditions.  Snow level lowers to 2000 - 3000 ft.  An upper ridge will then follow on Saturday and strengthen on Sunday.  Expect good smoke dispersion Friday, decreasing dispersion Saturday, and rather poor dispersion on Sunday.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2300 - 3300 ft by late morning.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 18 - 30 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 10 - 16 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind SW at 24 - 42 mph.
Surface wind increases to SSW to SW at 15 - 30 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind decreases to SSW to WSW at 10 - 18 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 - 2500 ft by late morning.
Transport wind S to SW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 12 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind SSW at 19 - 33 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 10 - 18 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind SW at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2000 - 3000 ft by late morning.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind SSW to SW at 8 - 12 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2800 - 3800 ft.
Transport wind SW at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind increases to SSW to SW at 15 - 25 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3200 - 4200 ft.
Transport wind decreases to SSW to SW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind decreases to SSW to WSW at 8 - 12 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1300 - 2300 ft by late morning.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSW to SW at 8 - 14 mph.

OUTLOOK:

FRIDAY
Mixing height 4300 to 5000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind WNW to NNW at 8 - 14 mph.  Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

SATURDAY
Mixing height 3800 to 4800 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind WSW to NW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

SUNDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1000 to 1700 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 Thursday, November 26, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, and 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 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.

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 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 615, 616 west of R8W, 619, and 620
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T29S in Zone 616.  Call the forecaster.  South of T35S in Zone 620 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 618
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Cascades

All zones except zone 611
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.  Avoid ignitions north of T24S in Zone 616.

Zone 611
Units should be 750 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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