| December 15 Kansas wildfire outbreak | |
|---|---|
 Perimeters of the wildfires that started on December 15, 2021 | |
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | Western and Central portions of Kansas |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 16[1] |
| Total area | 163,755 acres (66,269 ha)[2][nb 1] |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 3 hospitalized[3] |
| Structures destroyed | 42+ |
| Damage | $2.3 million (2021 USD) |
| Ignition | |
| Cause |
|
On December 15, 2021, the Midwestern U.S. state of Kansas was met with strong and damaging winds caused by the December 2021 Midwest derecho and tornado outbreak, which produced dust storms and multiple wildfires. An estimated 163,000 acres (66,000 ha) burned on the first day wildfires spawned due to dry fuel and strong wind gusts reaching up to 100 mph (160 km/h). The western and central portions of Kansas were mostly affected by the fires. Before December 15, forecasters had predicted that dry air, gusty winds, and warm temperatures could be present throughout the following days, creating conditions favorable for wildfires to spread quickly through the area. The largest wildfire, the Four County Fire, burned numerous buildings and killed hundreds of cattle along the way with a scorched area of 121,622 acres (49,219 ha).
Due to gusty winds that were in attendance in the area, the toppling of power lines started to take place, sparking a few wildfires. Drought conditions also played a role in the wildfire outbreak, in which the western and central portions of Kansas were "Abnormally Dry" and in "Severe Drought". The drought and wildfires significantly impacted Kansas agricultural operations by not being able to produce livestock.
- ^ "'It was burning so fast': It may take years for Kansans to recover from Four County Fire". The Topeka Capital-Journal. David Condos. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Kansas Forest Service revises acreage burned in last week's wildfires". KSNW. The Associated Press, Ryan Newton. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "Wildfires fueled by high wind destroy homes, kill cattle in Kansas". KSNW. Stephanie Nutt, Ryan Newton, Laura McMillan. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
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