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Burwell, Nebraska

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1952 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Burwell City. It lies in ZIP code area 68823. The Survey maps it on the Burwell quadrangle. 1,087 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 2,175 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Burwell within Garfield County

On record in Burwell

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 4 records

Population over time

2 figures

Burwell fell from 1,210 to 1,087 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.

YearPeople Change
20101,210
20201,087-123 (-10%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 10 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Fires near this place

19 since 2007

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 19 fires within 5 miles of Burwell between 2007 and 2016, burning about 922 acres in total. None started naturally. None was 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 burning8
Fireworks4
Missing data/not specified/undetermined4
Equipment and vehicle use3

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
29 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
26 September 2014Equipment and vehicle use3.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
20 September 2012Equipment and vehicle use4.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
9 August 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
4 July 2007Fireworksunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
3 July 2013Fireworksunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
27 July 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
27 July 2012Fireworksunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Garfield County

Storms near this place

60 of 239 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Burwell in 239 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 169 hail, 49 thunderstorm wind, 8 tornado, 4 flash flood. The reports record 1 injury. 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2001LightningBurwell1 hurt, $5,000A 52 year old man was struck by lightning as he was heading into his camper at a campground near Calamus Reservoir. He was knocked unconscious temporarily and then taken to the hospital. He was kept in the hospital overnight and was treated for minor burns to his feet and back. Another man was knocked to the ground but uninjured. Also, a camper caught fire.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindBurwell$1,000,000Emergency management reports numerous large tree limbs down and building and grandstand damage at the Garfield County Fairgrounds. Power reported out in several locations around town. Winds estimated at around 80 MPH.
June 2010FloodBurwell$130,000Thunderstorms with prolonged heavy rain falling on already saturated ground caused widespread flooding. Three to five inches of rain contributed to numerous secondary roads being under water or washed away. Low land flooding also occurred in the Burwell City Park near the North Loup River.
June 2014Tornado (EF2)Burwell$100,000At 1801CST, a tornado touched down 1 mile north of Burwell and traveled 5.2 miles before dissipating 5 miles northeast of Burwell. The tornado traveled northeast where the storm damage observed included several large tree trunks and wooden power poles snapped. The tornado crossed Highway 11 and overturned a center irrigation pivot system and downed additional large limbs before dissipating at 1815CST. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph with the tornado rated an EF-2. Maximum path width was 500 yards.
June 2014Tornado (EF2)Burwell$100,000At 1820CST, the tornado touched down 8 miles northeast of Burwell and moved northeast. The tornado damaged trees, street signs, and buildings along the damage path. Tree trunks were snapped in this area with maximum winds estimated at 125 mph. the tornado was rated an EF-2 with a maximum path width of 700 yards.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBurwell$75,000On the west side of Burwell, the roof of a 15 by 15 foot horse barn was blown off the building. Numerous trees were uprooted in Burwell. At the Garfield County Fairgrounds, the roof was blown off the grandstand.
June 2002LightningBurwell$60,000Fire...initiated by a lightning strike...destroyed a home.
March 2019FloodBurwell$50,000Flooding with water reported over the road on Highway 96 northwest of Burwell.
March 2019FloodBurwell$50,000Flooding with water reported over the road on Highway 96 northwest of Burwell.
June 2010LightningBurwell$50,000On June 21st lightning struck a tree next to a home that caused the house to catch on fire. The resident was an elderly male that died of smoke inhalation.
September 2000Thunderstorm WindBurwell$50,000Downburst winds destroyed a 32x40 foot metal pole barn.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindBurwell$40,000Numerous power poles and large trees were broken off. One tree fell on a carport damaging a pickup truck.
May 1998HailBurwell$30,000Severe thunderstorms with large hail damaged alfalfa and other crops as well as houses and property.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindBurwell$25,000Damaging winds lift roof off a trailer home; power lines also down.
May 2025Flash FloodBurwell$20,000The dam operator at Calamus Reservoir reports 4.06 inches of rainfall. Said roads were washed out west of Burwell.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindBurwell$20,000Spotter reports 2 to 4 inch diameter limbs down in Burwell. Winds were estimated at 60 MPH.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindBurwell$20,000The thunderstorm outflow winds overturned a semi-tractor trailer at the alfalfa mill and ripped off the grandstand roof at the rodeo grounds. Trees were also uprooted.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindBurwell$20,000The thunderstorm winds caused minor damage to the house roof.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindBurwell$20,000Thunderstorm winds destroyed a shed and damaged a quonset building.
August 2001HailBurwell$20,000no account filed
August 2014Thunderstorm WindBurwell$15,000Thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 MPH produced extensive tree damage and snapped power poles. Severe crop damage reported southwest of Burwell.
June 2014Tornado (EF1)Burwell$15,000At 1735CST, a tornado touched down 5 miles west southwest of Burwell and traveled northeast 2.4 miles crossing Highway 91 before dissipating 3 miles west of Burwell. The tornado damaged trees with large limbs down, a small building overturned and a grain bin blown off the foundation and destroyed. Peak winds estimated at 100 mph and rated an EF-1 tornado. Path wind was 400 yards.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindBurwell$15,000Wind gusts were estimated at 70 MPH that uprooted a tree which landed on a roof of a house.
July 2006HailBurwell$15,000no account filed
August 2000HailBurwell$15,000no account filed
July 2001HailBurwell$12,000Hail of various sizes fell for half an hour.
July 2001HailBurwell$12,000no account filed
June 2000Thunderstorm WindBurwell$10,000Large tree limbs down and roof damaged.
June 2014HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
August 2002HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
July 2001HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
July 2001HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
July 2000HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
July 2000HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
July 2000HailBurwell$10,000no account filed
May 1999HailBurwell$9,000no account filed
May 2002HailBurwell$8,000no account filed
July 2001HailBurwell$8,000no account filed
June 2014Tornado (EF2)Burwell$5,000At 1828CST, a tornado touched down 10 miles east northeast of Burwell and tracked east about a half mile before dissipating at 1832CST. The tornado damaged several trees with some trunks of trees snapped. Peak winds were estimated at 130 mph with the tornado rated and EF-2. Maximum path with was 400 yards.
August 1998Thunderstorm WindBurwell$5,000Several large trees uprooted.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindBurwell$5,000Several large trees blown down.
July 2006HailBurwell$5,000no account filed
September 2005HailBurwell$5,000no account filed
July 2002HailBurwell$5,000no account filed
July 2001HailBurwell$5,000no account filed
July 2000HailBurwell$5,000no account filed
August 1997Thunderstorm WindBurwell$3,000Thunderstorm winds blew down large tree branches in town.
August 2002HailBurwell$3,000no account filed
June 1999HailBurwell$3,000no account filed
September 2005HailBurwell$2,000no account filed
August 2002HailBurwell$2,000no account filed
October 2001HailBurwell$2,000no account filed
August 1997HailBurwell$2,000no account filed
May 2008HailBurwell$1,500no account filed
June 2006HailBurwell$1,200no account filed
June 2006HailBurwell$1,200no account filed
June 2014Tornado (EF0)Burwell$1,000At 1830CST, a tornado briefly touched down 9 miles east northeast of Burwell. The tornado downed several large tree limbs. Peak winds estimated 75 mph with the tornado rated and EF-0. Maximum path width was 400 yards.
July 2004Tornado (F0)Burwell$1,000The tornado touched down in an open pasture and then traveled southwest breaking off trees and tearing out fences.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindBurwell$1,000Large tree branches on highway.
May 2004HailBurwell$1,000no account filed

Every storm recorded in Garfield County

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.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Willow Springs (historical)2.0 miles11
Deverre8.0 miles11
Gables18.5 miles11

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 BurwellAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q957932The 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 827808. 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.