Pretty Prairie, Kansas
13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1892 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Albion Township. It lies in ZIP code area 67570. The Survey maps it on the Pretty Prairie quadrangle. 660 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,572 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresPretty Prairie fell from 680 to 660 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 680 | |
| 2020 | 660 | -20 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 13 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1892 USGS Kingman quadrangle1:125000
- 1894 USGS Kingman quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1955 USGS Pratt quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1959 USGS Pratt quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1971 USGS Pretty Prairie quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Pratt quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
31 since 2015Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 31 fires within 5 miles of Pretty Prairie between 2015 and 2020, burning about 619 acres in total. 4 started naturally. 4 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 12 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 6 |
| Natural | 4 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 4 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 September 2015 | Natural | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 101 |
| 24 August 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 74 |
| 25 July 2015 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 93 |
| 13 July 2018 | Natural | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 70 |
| 26 June 2015 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 87 |
| 26 June 2015 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 88 |
| 22 June 2015 | Equipment and vehicle use | 7.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 83 |
| 20 June 2015 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 80 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
60 of 70 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Pretty Prairie in 70 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 31 hail, 29 thunderstorm wind, 6 tornado, 2 lightning. The reports record 1 death and 6 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | 1 killed, 6 hurt, $12,500,000 | Report received approximately 3 hours after occurrence. Therefore, event times are estimates. Damage at Cheney Lake State Park was extensive, and included the marina, around 125 boats, 35 campers, and mobile homes. All 6 people injured by the severe thunderstorms required transport to Wichita hospitals. The extent/magnitude of their injuries was unknown as of this writing. The fatality resulted when the victim was trying out a newly acquired fishing boat. Missing since the severe thunderstorms reached Cheney Lake, his body was found on Tuesday, around 10 a.m., in shallow water near an east-side shore amongst downed cottonwoods. As of this report, it was unknown whether the cause of death was the result of drowning or trauma.Governor Sebelius issued a declaration of disaster emergency for Reno County. An estimated 2,500 farm dwellings and service buildings sustained damage totalling an estimated $2.5 million. Approximately 50 pieces of farm machinery and equipment were damaged or destroyed totalling an estimated $500,000 damage. An estimated 155,000 acres of farmland were considered a total loss. Crop losses, and their respective acreages: Wheat: 2,000; Corn: 15,000; Grain sorghum: 25,000; Soybeans: 10,000. Miscellaneous land damages due to erosion & gullying: 116,000. (Agricultural narrative courtesy of USDA Flash Situation Report.) The Wichita Eagle and Hutchinson News contributed greatly to this narrative. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $100,000 | Two grain bins blown over. |
| July 2005 | Tornado (F1) | Pretty Prairie | $60,000 | One house heavily damaged. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $50,000 | Mobile home leveled. Time of occurence is an estimation based on nearby events. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $50,000 | *Delayed report received at 1830.* Time of occurrence estimated between 1715 and 1730. Boat storage unit at Cheney Lake destroyed. |
| August 2002 | Lightning | Pretty Prairie | $30,000 | Resultant fire damaged roof and attic. |
| September 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $25,000 | Fuel tank blown over as were several power poles in Partridge. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $10,000 | The emergency manager reported a few tress were uprooted. |
| September 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $6,000 | The high winds blew the front porch off of a house. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | $5,000 | Multiple trees and limbs were blown down in Pretty Prairie. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | KWCH shared report of tennis ball sized hail. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | This wind gust was measured from a Kansas State Mesonet site located 1 mile west-southwest of Pretty Prairie. |
| March 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Six inch diameter tree limbs were broken across town. |
| March 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | This was a measured gust. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Power poles were knocked down. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | Quarter sized hail was reported to KWCH TV by the public. |
| July 2018 | Flood | Pretty Prairie | - | A road was flooded near Pretty Prairie. |
| May 2017 | Tornado (EF0) | Pretty Prairie | - | Tornado moved over open country and caused no damage. |
| September 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | A trained spotter estimated 50 to 60 mph winds. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | No damage was reported. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | The estimated speeds ranged from 70 to 80 mph. Large hail of unknown sizes was also reported but its surprising that no damage was. |
| June 2013 | Lightning | Pretty Prairie | - | Wheat stubble caught on fire. The field fire occurred on Whiteside Road 1/2 mile east of Boundary Road. |
| April 2012 | Tornado (EF0) | Pretty Prairie | - | Brief touchdown in open country. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Winds were estimated around 60 mph. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Estimated winds from a storm chaser. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Some branches were downed across town. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Downed tree limbs at Cheney Reservoir. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Power was reported to be lost in the town. |
| July 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Pretty Prairie | - | Brief event. |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | Report relayed by emergency manager. |
| April 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Pretty Prairie | - | Occurred in open country. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | TREE UPROOTED. SHED BLOWN DOWN. |
| May 1995 | Tornado (F0) | Pretty Prairie | - | Brief tornado touched down 1 W of Pretty Prairie. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2014 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| July 2013 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| July 2013 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Funnel Cloud | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| March 2003 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| March 2003 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| March 2002 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| September 2001 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
| February 2000 | Hail | Pretty Prairie | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Pretty Prairie | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1856265 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 473788. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.





