SMOKE MANAGEMENT
FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY
WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT
OF FORESTRY
ISSUED: Friday,
June 5, 2026
2:30 PM Sherri Pugh
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We Need Your Feedback!
The Smoke
Management Department is planning to “upgrade” this product so that it more
effectively meets your needs. To assist
us with this project, we are requesting feedback from you!
Below are a few
questions to help you consider what changes would be most beneficial for
you. All ideas are welcome!
Is the “Short-Term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
Is the “Long-term
Discussion” useful? What would enhance
it?
How could the
“Dispersion” forecast better meet your needs?
Is the “Outlook”
useful? What would enhance it?
Are the “Burning
Instructions” clear and concise? How
could they be improved for your use?
How do you access
the forecast product (i.e., Email; web page; telephone recording)?
We are considering
discontinuing or upgrading the phone recording of the forecast product. Is that something you currently use? Would you use it if you could get your
specific forecast from it faster?
Please Email your
feedback to: Peter.GJ.Parsons@odf.oregon.gov
Thank you!
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1. DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR NORTHEAST
FORECAST AREA ZONES 637-646
Cooler weather builds for the weekend with
shower potential increasing early next week.
An upper-level low in Washington will have a trough sweeping through
Oregon late. Showers arrive late and
temperatures will drop below seasonable.
Mixing heights will be high.
Winds are expected from W-NW.
Sunday will be mostly dry though a few
showers are likely in far northeastern zones.
Flow aloft will be from W between systems. Light winds will be from SW-W. Temperatures will be near or below seasonable
with good mixing heights.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION
Showers increase on Monday with
amounts up to 0.50”. The next upper-level
low will be offshore. Winds will be from
S-SSW. Mixing heights will rise high.
A few showers continue Tuesday with
the upper-level low into Washington. Temperatures will sink below average. Winds will turn to come from WNW-NW. Mixing heights will be high.
2. DISPERSION
SATURDAY
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Mixing height
below 3000 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning. Mixing height lowers to 2500 - 3500 ft during
the evening.
Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind WSW
to WNW at 6 - 10 mph throughout the day.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Mixing height
below 2200 ft early rising above 5000 ft by late morning. Mixing height lowers to 2500 - 3500 ft during
the evening.
Transport wind W
to NW at 6 - 10 mph during the morning.
Transport wind increases to WSW to WNW at 9 - 15 mph during the
afternoon then shifts to NW to N at 10 - 18 mph during the evening.
Surface wind WNW
to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.
OUTLOOK:
SUNDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 6 - 12 mph
during the afternoon. Surface wind light
and variable.
MONDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4500 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
S to SW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming S to
SW at 10 - 22 mph during the afternoon.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph.
TUESDAY
Mixing height
below 1000 ft early rising to 4500 to 5000 ft by late morning rising above 5000
ft during the afternoon. Transport wind
WSW to WNW at 10 - 22 mph. Surface wind
WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.
3. BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NORTHEAST OREGON
ZONES 637-646
- Valid for burning done Saturday through
Monday, June 6 through 8, 2026.
==================================================================
For Saturday:
Zone 640, 642,
and 644 West of R35E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through NW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
SSW through NW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
Zone 637, 643,
645, 646, and 644 East of R34E:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the WSW through N
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the
WSW through N in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Watch for shifting transport winds. No
additional restrictions necessary.
For Sunday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the S through W of
SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 15 miles to the S
through W in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. Verify transport winds away from SSRAs if
burning in any other direction. No additional restrictions necessary.
For Monday:
Follow standard
guidance matrix - see section 5 below - for burning units to the S through SW
of SSRAs. For units that will smolder
significantly through the night avoid burning within at least 10 miles to the S
through WNW in or near drainages leading to SSRAs. No additional restrictions necessary.
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4. SPECIAL NOTE:
The ODF forecast
smoke zones differ from the NWS fire zones and
are available at:
https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/documents/smoke-forecast-zone-map.pdf
The smoke management forecaster is
available at (503)-
945-7401. Please call this number and not
individual's
numbers to discuss daily burning. For large burns (over
2000 tons) or burns extending over a
considerable period,
please request a
special forecast. Avoid calling
between 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.
http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/
Daily/neo.htm
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the
email list for this
product, please go to the link:
http://weather.smkmgt.com/mailman/listinfo/
Please ensure your units have been planned
and accomplished by
checking:
http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/SMP/dailysmoke.shtml
A map of planned and/or accomplished burns
is located at:
http://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html
?id=a7e321dc8fc444b7a33fbc67bc673a3b
5. STANDARD GUIDANCE MATRIX:
* Greater than 5000 ft mixing height: Limit
to 150 tons per mile
from downwind SSRAs.
Example: 75 tons allowed if burned a half
mile from a downwind
SSRA.
* 3000 - 5000 ft mixing height: Limit to 50
tons per mile if
burning within 5 miles of downwind SSRAs.
Limit to 100 tons
per mile if burning 5 miles or beyond
downwind SSRAs.
Example #1: 200 tons allowed if burned 4
miles from a downwind
SSRA.
Example #2: 500 tons allowed if burned 5
miles from a downwind
SSRA.
* Less than 3000 ft mixing height: No burning
within 5 miles of
downwind SSRAs. Limit to 60 tons per mile
from downwind SSRAs.
* Ensure adequate spacing between units when
burning near downwind
SSRAs.
* Use of polyethylene (PE) sheeting on
greater than 75 percent of
piles in a unit with 60 percent coverage
per pile will allow a
50 percent increase in tonnage over the
existing instruction tonnage
for that zone.
* All exceptions must be coordinated with the
duty forecaster
prior to ignition.
6. BURN MONITORING:
Burns over 2000 tons must be monitored (OAR
629-048-0230(3) -
7/1/14). Monitoring of all burns is highly
recommended for both
smoke management purposes and wildfire
potential.