Why are daily authorizations delayed until 11:00 am?
• Daily authorizations are based on the forecasts for smoke dispersion. By delaying the start of burning to 11:00 am, officials can assess weather measurements and observations taken that morning rather than relying on those taken the night before. It is particularly important to scrutinize up-to-the-minute forecasts on days when dispersion conditions may be marginal. • Another reason is to allow overnight atmospheric inversions to disperse for better smoke dispersion when fires are lit.
