From the Summary...'Managing smoke in ways that prevent serious impact to sensitive areas from single burns or multiple burns occurring simultaneously requires knowledge of the weather conditions that will affect smoke emissions, trajectories, and dispersion. Not only is it necessary to anticipate the weather ahead of time through the use of climatology and forecasts, but it also is useful to monitor conditions prior to and during the burn with regional, local, and on-site observations. On-site observations are helpful because air movement, and therefore smoke movement, is influenced by small variations in terrain and vegetation cover, and proximity to lakes and oceans, which off-site observations usually cannot capture. Also, forecasts are not always accurate and last-minute changes in a burn or smoke management plan may be needed. To gain more insight into the physical process of weather in wildland areas and its effect on biomass fires, refer to the Fire Weather handbook (Schroeder and Buck 1970). In using weather observations, forecasts, and climate summaries effectively for smoke management there are 3 general guidelines; (1) become familiar with local terrain features that influence weather patterns, (2) develop a dialogue with a reliable local weather forecaster, and (3) ask for and use climate summaries of wind and mixing height. By combining your knowledge of local weather effects, trust and communication with an experienced forecaster, and understanding of climate patterns, it is possible to fine-tune or update forecasts to meet your specific smoke management needs.'