21.10.090 Burn advisories.
The SMC will be responsible for issuing daily burn forecasts based on weather forecasting available for the YIR area and updating that information as needed. Under normal operating conditions, the general forecasts for each area will be issued each day by 9:00 a.m. A discussion of various aspects of daily burn forecasts is presented in subsequent sections.
(a) Forecast Areas. For the purpose of issuing daily burn advisories within the YIR, the portion of the YIR lying within Del Norte County will be known as the YIR, Downriver Section; the portion of the Reservation within Humboldt County will be known as the YIR, Upriver Section.
(b) Burn Advisories.
(1) Prior to ignition of any materials, advisories for conducting such burning must be obtained by the SMC. Advisories will be based on field registration and burn permit data and forecasted meteorological conditions. The SMC is solely responsible for assessing the conditions in order to issue burn advisories within the YIR.
(2) In addition to identification of areas affected and the earliest and latest ignition times, advisories may also include registrations or guidance regarding fuel conditions, wind speed, wind direction, ignition methods, or other factors important to smoke dispersion.
(3) The SMC will take into account the following factors in approving a burn day:
(A) Ventilation conditions, including surface and transport wind speed and direction, prevailing visibility, amount and location of acreage already authorized.
(B) Plume characteristics, including mixing depth and atmospheric stability.
(C) Downwind impact area concerns.
(D) Field conditions, including fuel type, moisture content, burning monitoring crew resources, field conditions and types of communications available.
(E) Air quality considerations, including effects on visibility, particulate loading, and exposure time.
(F) Synoptic conditions, including high/low pressure areas, approaching fronts, and precipitation probabilities.
(G) Burn status of neighboring Tribal and local jurisdictions.
(4) Though burning may not be advised due to one or more of these factors, burning releases are not tied to, or limited by, specific values for mixing height, fuel moisture content, or other parameters.
(5) Advisories prepared by the SMC will be based on general atmospheric dispersion conditions, which, over suitable transport distance, are reasonably predictable.
(6) Dispersion forecasts and related advisories regarding burning may not necessarily be appropriate or safe considering specific conditions at a given site. If necessary, burning advisories issued by the SMC will be amended as weather conditions, ambient smoke levels, or other factors change. These amendments will be communicated by telephone, radio, or in person upon request of the affected permit holders.
(7) A diary of advisory records will be maintained for use in subsequent smoke intrusion analysis or enforcement actions.
(c) Communication.
(1) Routine communication regarding burn activities, including burn advisories, will be handled by phone or radio when available. Information may include weather observations, smoke drift observations, progress of burning and availability of additional burning.
(2) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service broadcasts weather data on 162.400 MHz out of Eureka, California. [Plan § 2.3, adopted, 10/1/2003.]