BlockBefore

Grantsburg, Wisconsin

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1950 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Grantsburg Village. It lies in ZIP code area 54840. The Survey maps it on the Grantsburg quadrangle. 1,330 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 899 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Grantsburg within Burnett County

On record in Grantsburg

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 2 records

Population over time

2 figures

Grantsburg fell from 1,341 to 1,330 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
20101,341
20201,330-11 (-1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 12 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

172 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 172 fires within 5 miles of Grantsburg between 1992 and 2020, burning about 484 acres in total. 25 started naturally. 17 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 burning43
Missing data/not specified/undetermined31
Equipment and vehicle use29
Natural25
Arson/incendiarism17
Fireworks7
Other causes6
Power generation/transmission/distribution5
Recreation and ceremony4
Smoking4
Misuse of fire by a minor1

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
8 September 2009Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesHAY WAGON FIRE
8 September 2005Arson/incendiarismunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
30 September 2000Smoking12 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
29 September 2012Debris and open burning1.1 acresWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesDEER STAND FIRE
28 September 2000Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
28 September 1992Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
14 September 2012Arson/incendiarismunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWHISKEY CREEK
13 September 2018Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesBORG RD

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Burnett County

Mines and quarries near this place

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Grantsburg: 2 occurrences, 1 producer, 1 past producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Lower Clam Lake Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
St. Croix PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
William Ott Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
William Soderbeck PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Burnett County

Storms near this place

53 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Grantsburg in 53 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 25 hail, 23 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 1 lightning. The reports record 2 deaths and 16 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2001Tornado (F3)Grantsburg2 killed, 16 hurt, $10,000,000The tornado touched down at 806 pm local daylight time 1.5 miles east of Grantsburg and traveled east at an average speed of 40 mph through the village of Siren to the Washburn County line, then continued on to a point 3 miles west of Spooner. The path of the tornado averaged 1/8 to 1/4 mile, but reached its greatest width of ½ mile as it approached Siren around 820 pm, where it did F-3 damage. Two people were killed by the tornado, and there were 16 injuries. Four hundred homes were destroyed, 200 in Siren alone, with 280 homes damaged, and 60 businesses destroyed or damaged. Most of the damage occurred in an 8-block area of Siren. Approximately 14,000 acres of trees were leveled along the tornado path. The two people killed were in Dewey Township, about 14 miles east of Siren. An 80-year-old woman was crushed by a falling wall while trying to get to the basement, and a 77-year-old man was found dead about 100 yards from his demolished home, presumably thrown there by tornado-force winds. Many buildings in the path of the tornado through Dewey Township, including the Dewey Town Hall, were destroyed as well. Power lines, trees, and buildings were also damaged or destroyed at Alpha, Falun, and Mud Hen Lake along the path of the tornado between Grantsburg and Siren. Fifteen cows were lost when a barn collapsed near Falun. Some were killed outright. Others were injured and had to be put down.
September 1998Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg$50,000no account filed
June 2010Tornado (EF1)Grantsburg$10,000A tornado crossed the St. Croix River into southwest Burnett County Wisconsin from Pine County Minnesota, about 1.5 miles north of Highway 70, and dissipated about 3.5 miles west-northwest of Grantsburg, WI. The tornado moved into Wisconsin around 9 pm. EF1 damage was assigned due to damage to a home near Grantsburg WI, along with significant tree damage.
August 2007LightningGrantsburg$4,000Lightning struck a home, causing electrical damage. The lightning blew out the garage door opener, internet service, cable, telephone, router, two ethernet connections and tripped three circuits, according to the Burnett County Sentinel. The intense lightning storm also caused many small fires to break out in Burnett County, though most were under one acre in size and no property damage was reported.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg$2,500Trees were blown down. In addition, 1.19 inches of rain was measured in an hour's time.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-A 2-inch branch was broken from a tree in the winds.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-A temporary green house off of Highway 70 on the west side of Grantsburg, Wisconsin was destroyed.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-The sheriff dispatch center received numerous reports of trees and power lines down.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-A 30 foot tall pine tree was blown down.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Four large pine trees were blown down.
July 2015HailGrantsburg-Nickel to quarter size hail lasted for approximately 5 minutes. There was heavy rainfall with ponding of water on the streets in low spots.
September 2014HailGrantsburg-There was dime size hail.
June 2013HailGrantsburg-Dime to nickel size hail fell for 6 minutes.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Partial roof loss to two buildings was found, along with widespread tree damage and large trees uprooted. Highway 70 and many side roads were impassable, with no power. The Red Cross opened a shelter to distribute food and water. Estimated wind speed is derived from the NWS WFO Duluth Storm Survey.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Numerous trees were blown down and power was knocked out.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-A yard, 3.5 acres in area, lost nearly every tree, including large oaks over 50 years old. A fireworks tent was blown over.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Numerous trees were blown down.
June 2010Tornado (EF0)Grantsburg-A second EF0 tornado briefly formed and dissipated a short time later from the same parent thunderstorm.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Trees were blown down.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Tree downed.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Estimated wind gusts up to 60 mph.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Trees blew down.
April 2004Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Large tree branches were blown down.
April 2004Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-A dozen trees were blown down.There was also some light wind damage to homes.
May 2001Tornado (F0)Grantsburg-A weak tornado destroyed a screen house and blew down many trees. A mobile home suffered structural damage from a falling branch.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-The strong winds blew down trees. The wind speed is estimated.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Houses were destroyed. The wind speed is estimated.
June 1997Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Strong thunderstorm winds ripped the roof off a manufacturing building and toppled many trees. Lightning started an electrical unit on fire. No dollar estimate of the damage was available. Wind speed is estimated.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-Thunderstorm winds to 56 knots (65 mph) blew down trees and power lines in and around the city.
April 2025HailGrantsburg-no account filed
July 2023HailGrantsburg-no account filed
May 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
May 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
May 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
May 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
May 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2022HailGrantsburg-no account filed
July 2019HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2017HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2017HailGrantsburg-no account filed
July 2015HailGrantsburg-no account filed
August 2013HailGrantsburg-no account filed
July 2008HailGrantsburg-no account filed
April 2002HailGrantsburg-no account filed
June 2001HailGrantsburg-no account filed
August 2000HailGrantsburg-no account filed
July 1999Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-no account filed
September 1998HailGrantsburg-no account filed
August 1997HailGrantsburg-no account filed
August 1997HailGrantsburg-no account filed
August 1997Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Burnett 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
Branstad2.7 miles16
Alpha5.5 miles12
Lind6.5 miles16
Trade Lake7.6 miles16
Falun8.2 miles12
Four Corners8.7 miles16
Trade River8.9 miles16
Randall9.8 miles16

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 GrantsburgAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2317238The 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 1565752. 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.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.