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Wheat State Fire, November 2020 Harvey

Out · last measured on 31 Mar 2021

The fire started on 14 November 2020 in Harvey, United States, and satellites saw it burning for 138 days. United States agencies (MTBS / NIFC) mapped an official burnt perimeter of 1,959 hectares, spread across a single county.

It is the 36th largest in Kansas since 2016 (of 84 with a page). Number 183 in United States in 2020, of 441.

Compare with…

Suggestions: Burmac · 2016Cottonwood Complex · 2022Jupiter Hills · 2017Highlands · 2017

We have the official perimeter (MTBS / NIFC) for this fire, but the VIIRS sensors did not capture it in enough detail: no day-by-day evolution, but the split by county is there.

Burnt area
1,959ha
official perimeter (MTBS / NIFC)
Duration
138days
14 Nov 2020 – 31 Mar 2021
Counties hit
1
counties
Started on
14 Nov
2020
Danger at start
21
Moderate · FWI index

Where it burned

The weather it burned in

26°high
89km/h · peak gust
9%lowest humidity

It had gone 3 days without rain (1 mm or more) when it started. Rain came after the fire: 6.5 mm on 7 Apr.

This area had burned before

68% of the perimeter overlaps earlier fires recorded since 2016: 1,329 ha in 2016.

How big is it?

10 km
It burned the equivalent of 1.2% of the area of London (20 km² against 1,583 km²).

London boundary: geoBoundaries · Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0).

This compares size, not location: both shapes are at the same scale, north up, centred on each other.

What happened to each county

  1. Harvey where it started
    1,961 ha
    1.4 %

Burnt area inside each county, from crossing the official perimeter with administrative boundaries. The distance runs from the point marking the centre of each area to the nearest fire: staying a kilometre away does not mean it reached the houses.

People and buildings inside the perimeter

GHSL 2020
Built-up area1.2 ha
Residents< 20

Inside the perimeter there were about 1.2 hectares of built-up land and almost nobody lived there (GHSL 2020, satellite-based estimate).

This is an estimate on 100 m cells, made from satellite imagery and census data: it does not mean that homes burned or that anyone was harmed. The perimeter also contains land that never burned.

Source: Global Human Settlement Layer (GHS-BUILT-S and GHS-POP R2023A), European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), © European Union, CC BY 4.0. Sum inside the perimeter computed by WorldFires. human-settlement.emergency.copernicus.eu

The weather day by day

ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, the standard reference for past weather, and the Canadian Fire Weather Index (the same system Copernicus uses), computed by WorldFires from that data. Days after the fire run until the first rain.

Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5)

Day High Min. humidity Peak gust Rain Danger (FWI)
14 Nov 21.6 °C 25 % 71 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 21
15 Nov 13.5 °C 18 % 65 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 18
16 Nov 21.1 °C 21 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
17 Nov 19.7 °C 23 % 48 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 18
18 Nov 21.7 °C 25 % 71 km/h 0.0 mm High 27
19 Nov 24.3 °C 37 % 60 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
20 Nov 16.5 °C 43 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
21 Nov 11.1 °C 53 % 35 km/h 8.1 mm Very low 0
22 Nov 12.6 °C 33 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
23 Nov 10.0 °C 64 % 51 km/h 1.3 mm Very low 3
24 Nov 12.0 °C 81 % 56 km/h 16.0 mm Very low 0
25 Nov 8.1 °C 48 % 60 km/h 8.0 mm Very low 0
26 Nov 14.1 °C 48 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
27 Nov 11.7 °C 37 % 37 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
28 Nov 11.2 °C 43 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
29 Nov 7.7 °C 39 % 66 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
30 Nov 7.8 °C 28 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
1 Dec 10.6 °C 36 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
2 Dec 6.2 °C 54 % 39 km/h 6.8 mm Very low 0
3 Dec 5.1 °C 60 % 42 km/h 3.9 mm Very low 0
4 Dec 12.5 °C 38 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
5 Dec 12.1 °C 38 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
6 Dec 10.8 °C 45 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
7 Dec 16.2 °C 27 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 5
8 Dec 16.9 °C 26 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
9 Dec 20.4 °C 21 % 21 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
10 Dec 17.0 °C 37 % 31 km/h 0.8 mm Low 6
11 Dec 7.1 °C 67 % 40 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 5
12 Dec 2.1 °C 72 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
13 Dec 2.7 °C 56 % 38 km/h 0.9 mm Very low 2
14 Dec 2.8 °C 53 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
15 Dec -0.7 °C 69 % 28 km/h 1.2 mm Very low 1
16 Dec 2.5 °C 63 % 21 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
17 Dec 11.1 °C 43 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
18 Dec 11.4 °C 47 % 64 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
19 Dec 7.7 °C 45 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
20 Dec 13.2 °C 35 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
21 Dec 16.5 °C 26 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
22 Dec 16.9 °C 35 % 66 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 17
23 Dec 13.5 °C 29 % 83 km/h 0.0 mm High 22
24 Dec 3.7 °C 35 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Low 11
25 Dec 12.2 °C 34 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
26 Dec 15.6 °C 22 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
27 Dec 11.3 °C 40 % 55 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
28 Dec 3.2 °C 57 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
29 Dec 7.4 °C 63 % 75 km/h 27.9 mm Very low 0
30 Dec 4.8 °C 48 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
31 Dec 3.5 °C 46 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
1 Jan 4.8 °C 40 % 49 km/h 6.4 mm Very low 0
2 Jan 7.2 °C 64 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
3 Jan 9.9 °C 56 % 19 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
4 Jan 13.0 °C 37 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
5 Jan 11.4 °C 49 % 54 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 5
6 Jan 7.0 °C 56 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
7 Jan 3.6 °C 76 % 32 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 2
8 Jan 3.0 °C 65 % 22 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
9 Jan 3.4 °C 63 % 19 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
10 Jan 4.1 °C 66 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
11 Jan 9.0 °C 47 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
12 Jan 12.2 °C 37 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
13 Jan 15.7 °C 31 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
14 Jan 12.3 °C 19 % 85 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
15 Jan 4.4 °C 34 % 89 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 18
16 Jan 9.5 °C 29 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
17 Jan 10.4 °C 31 % 49 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
18 Jan 12.1 °C 38 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
19 Jan 8.3 °C 36 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
20 Jan 12.0 °C 35 % 53 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
21 Jan 14.3 °C 36 % 29 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
22 Jan 6.3 °C 39 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
23 Jan 6.4 °C 60 % 42 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
24 Jan 7.2 °C 73 % 40 km/h 0.8 mm Very low 3
25 Jan 2.2 °C 79 % 43 km/h 12.0 mm Very low 0
26 Jan -1.8 °C 67 % 39 km/h 1.5 mm Very low 0
27 Jan -3.0 °C 60 % 37 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 0
28 Jan 3.5 °C 56 % 47 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
29 Jan 9.3 °C 54 % 52 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
30 Jan 10.0 °C 69 % 56 km/h 13.0 mm Very low 0
31 Jan 4.6 °C 60 % 51 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
1 Feb 9.4 °C 53 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
2 Feb 12.8 °C 45 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
3 Feb 15.3 °C 40 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
4 Feb 9.9 °C 37 % 71 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
5 Feb 10.5 °C 28 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Low 5
6 Feb 1.8 °C 61 % 50 km/h 1.2 mm Very low 2
7 Feb -7.9 °C 66 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
8 Feb -8.5 °C 69 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
9 Feb -9.1 °C 67 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
10 Feb -8.7 °C 59 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
11 Feb -8.5 °C 53 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
12 Feb -11.8 °C 53 % 43 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
13 Feb -10.0 °C 50 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
14 Feb -15.3 °C 56 % 46 km/h 2.3 mm Very low 0
15 Feb -15.0 °C 41 % 37 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
16 Feb -14.5 °C 60 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
17 Feb -6.1 °C 54 % 19 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
18 Feb 0.4 °C 37 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
19 Feb 4.1 °C 42 % 42 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
20 Feb 7.6 °C 43 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
21 Feb 10.7 °C 35 % 59 km/h 0.3 mm Low 7
22 Feb 18.1 °C 18 % 43 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
23 Feb 21.0 °C 17 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
24 Feb 9.9 °C 34 % 58 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
25 Feb 8.2 °C 37 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
26 Feb 12.8 °C 44 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
27 Feb 16.7 °C 61 % 70 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
28 Feb 12.3 °C 39 % 49 km/h 0.3 mm Low 8
1 Mar 12.4 °C 23 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
2 Mar 17.5 °C 17 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
3 Mar 20.7 °C 16 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
4 Mar 21.1 °C 27 % 51 km/h 0.8 mm Moderate 14
5 Mar 16.2 °C 42 % 35 km/h 1.5 mm Very low 3
6 Mar 18.8 °C 32 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
7 Mar 19.6 °C 28 % 66 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
8 Mar 20.6 °C 30 % 60 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
9 Mar 22.5 °C 46 % 71 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 21
10 Mar 26.2 °C 9 % 72 km/h 0.0 mm High 38
11 Mar 16.3 °C 26 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
12 Mar 8.1 °C 50 % 45 km/h 23.9 mm Very low 0
13 Mar 14.0 °C 90 % 52 km/h 12.5 mm Very low 0
14 Mar 17.4 °C 31 % 80 km/h 15.5 mm Very low 0
15 Mar 13.9 °C 53 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
16 Mar 18.3 °C 52 % 39 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 2
17 Mar 9.9 °C 82 % 65 km/h 29.1 mm Very low 0
18 Mar 8.3 °C 58 % 58 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 0
19 Mar 14.0 °C 41 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
20 Mar 17.7 °C 37 % 52 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
21 Mar 18.3 °C 47 % 67 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
22 Mar 12.7 °C 61 % 47 km/h 26.3 mm Very low 0
23 Mar 11.0 °C 71 % 56 km/h 7.3 mm Very low 0
24 Mar 9.0 °C 67 % 43 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 0
25 Mar 11.3 °C 60 % 25 km/h 0.4 mm Very low 0
26 Mar 20.7 °C 44 % 58 km/h 0.4 mm Very low 2
27 Mar 16.4 °C 43 % 52 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 4
28 Mar 18.6 °C 32 % 37 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
29 Mar 25.5 °C 23 % 81 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
30 Mar 18.1 °C 20 % 70 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
31 Mar 13.4 °C 26 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
1 Apr after 16.2 °C 23 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
2 Apr after 21.8 °C 23 % 68 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
3 Apr after 24.3 °C 32 % 46 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 17
4 Apr after 26.3 °C 36 % 54 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 18
5 Apr after 26.9 °C 39 % 68 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
6 Apr after 23.2 °C 57 % 80 km/h 0.2 mm Moderate 20
7 Apr after 19.5 °C 69 % 66 km/h 6.5 mm Very low 1

Before and after, from space

Drag the line to compare the same ground before the fire and after it.

Before · 7 Nov 2020
After · 7 Apr 2021

If the day is cloudy, change the date: each satellite passes once a day. In false colour the burnt ground looks brown or red.

Other fires nearby

All fires in United States ›

Frequently asked questions

How long did the Wheat State Fire last?
According to the heat detections seen by satellite inside the perimeter, it burned from 14 November 2020 to 31 March 2021 (138 days). The perimeter dates it from 14 November 2020 to 14 November 2020.
How much area did it burn?
The official perimeter published by United States agencies (MTBS / NIFC) is 1,959 hectares (19.6 km²). Other tallies, such as daily incident reports, may give slightly different figures.
Which counties burned?
The fire only entered Harvey (1,961 ha, 1.4 %).
What was the weather like?
During the fire the temperature reached 26.2 °C, humidity dropped to 9 % and gusts hit 89 km/h. The fire danger index (FWI) reached 38, class High.
Where does this data come from?
From the official burnt perimeter of United States agencies (MTBS / NIFC, public domain), NASA FIRMS VIIRS hotspots and the administrative boundaries of United States. It is not an official report.

Where to verify it

A satellite detection is not an official report. Final figures and the fire’s status are published by each country’s emergency service.

Emergency number: 911 · Emergency number and official warnings ›

Satellite cross-check

History of this page Changes in area, dates, name, official record or merged pages, compared every night since 24 October 2026.

No changes since 24 October 2026.

RSS Changes to this page

Does something look wrong on this page?

This page is built from satellite data and official records, and it sometimes gets things wrong: the wrong dates, the wrong town, two fires merged into one, or something that was not a wildfire at all. If you know this fire first-hand (you live nearby, saw it, fought it or reported on it), tell us what really happened and we will check it.

Report an error
What do you think is wrong?

We will only use your email to reply about this report. Privacy. This is not an emergency service: if there is a fire now, call 911.

How we know this
  • Perimeter: MTBS (US Geological Survey and US Forest Service), official.
  • Dates adjusted with the VIIRS detections inside the perimeter, which said 14 November 2020 to 14 November 2020. No Suomi-NPP VIIRS detections on those dates.
  • We have not matched this page with any official record.
  • Weather: Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, in cells of about 25 km.
  • Built-up area and population come from the JRC Global Human Settlement Layer (epoch 2020, 100 m cells), summed inside the perimeter: an estimate of what was there, not a damage count.

How we build fire pages: methodology ›

Where this data comes from

The perimeter is official and in the public domain. For past years it comes from MTBS (Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity), run by the U.S. Geological Survey and the USDA Forest Service, which map it on Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery. For the current and last year it comes from WFIGS at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC): incident perimeters mapped by fire crews, aircraft and imagery. Heat detections come from the VIIRS sensors aboard Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, distributed by NASA FIRMS at 375 m resolution. County boundaries come from geoBoundaries ADM2 (Public Domain). The area per county is computed by WorldFires by crossing the perimeter with those boundaries, so it may differ slightly from official figures.