Ranger Road Fire
| Ranger Road Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2026 Oklahoma wildfires and 2026 Kansas wildfires | |
Image captured February 17, 2026, by the VIIRS instrument aboard the joint NASA/NOAA NOAA-20 platform. | |
| Date(s) | February 17, 2026 – February 24, 2026 |
| Location | Harper County, Oklahoma, Woods County, Oklahoma, Comanche County, Kansas, Clark County, Kansas, Beaver County, Oklahoma, Meade County, Kansas |
| Coordinates | 36°48′24″N 100°30′24″W / 36.80660°N 100.5068°W |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 283,283 acres (114,641 ha) |
| Impacts | |
| Non-fatal injuries | 4 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Under Investigation |
The Ranger Road Fire was a wildfire that was burning in Harper County, Beaver County, and Woods County, Oklahoma, and Comanche County, Clark County, and Meade County, Kansas. As of February 24, the fire had burned 283,283 acres (114,641 ha).[1] It was the largest wildfire in the United States during the 2026 wildfire season.[2]
Background
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued a Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook for February 17, 2026, highlighting an Extremely Critical risk for western Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Driven by 23–35 miles per hour (37–56 km/h) winds, and 10-15% humidity, the conditions created a high-impact, rapid fire spread environment.[3][4]
Progression
The Ranger Road Fire was first reported at approximately 11:40 a.m. CST on February 17, 2026, southeast of Beaver, Oklahoma. The cause remains under investigation.[1] The fire ignited on the same day as the 43 Road, Side Road, and Stevens fires were reported in the nearby counties of Stevens County, Kansas, Seward County, Kansas, Texas County, Oklahoma, and Woodward County, Oklahoma.[1][5]
Fueled by warm, dry, and windy conditions, the fire expanded rapidly—reaching 145,000 acres (59,000 ha) acres within nine hours.[1] Fire officials reported extreme gusts of wind exceeding 65 miles per hour (105 km/h), limiting aerial firefighting operations and complicating suppression efforts.[6]
By February 18, the fire had nearly doubled in size to 283,283 acres (114,641 ha) due to better mapping. The fire remained at 0% containment.[7] At approximately 7:57 p.m. CST on February 18, 2026 the National Interagency Fire Center announced the fire was 15% contained. By February 19, 2026, the National Interagency Fire Center announced the fire was 20% contained. On February 20, 2026, the National Interagency Fire Center updated the information to say fire was 30% contained. By February 22, 2026, significant progress was made on containing the fire, reaching 65% containment. By February 23, the fire was 90% contained. At 6:15 p.m. CST on February 24, the National Interagency Fire Center reported that the fire was 100% contained at 283,283 acres (114,641 ha).[3]
Effects
The fire prompted the closures of sections of Kansas Highway 283, Kansas Highway 160, and Kansas Highway 183.[8] Level 3 evacuation orders were issued by the Oklahoma Forestry Services and the Kansas Forestry Service in the Oklahoma Panhandle and Southwestern Kansas for Clark County, Kansas (Ashland, Kansas and Englewood, Kansas) and Comanche County, Kansas.[9] Four injuries were reported among firefighters in Beaver County.[10] Many ranchers in Southwest Kansas lost hundreds of head of cattle. Multiple structures have been damaged or destroyed in Knowles, Oklahoma, Englewood, Kansas, and surrounding areas.[11][3]
Evacuees had been instructed to head east towards Coldwater, Kansas, where a shelter had been established at the South Central High School gymnasium. Additional evacuation orders were issued in Woodward, Oklahoma, with shelters opening at the Mooreland Community Center, Mooreland United Methodist Church, and Vici Community Building.[6]
Growth and containment
| Date | Area burned | Personnel | Containment | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 17[3] | 145,000 acres (587 km2) | 16 |
0%
| ||
| February 18[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 16 |
15%
| ||
| February 19[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 16 |
20%
| ||
| February 20[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 11 |
30%
| ||
| February 21[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 11 |
30%
| ||
| February 22[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 11 |
65%
| ||
| February 23[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 6 |
90%
| ||
| February 24[3] | 283,283 acres (1,146 km2) | 5 |
100%
|
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Ranger Road Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- ^ "Live US Wildfire Monitor". Wildfire Radar. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Ranger Road (1 Miles SE from Beaver, OK)". data.usatoday.com. USA Today. February 18, 2026. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ "Storm Prediction Center Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook". spc.noaa.gov. Storm Prediction Center. February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "Stevens Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- ^ a b "Wildfire Map Spotlight: Ranger Road Fire, Oklahoma Panhandle and Southern Kansas". IQAir. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "Ranger Road Report". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ "Ranger Road Fire Map: Ashland And Englewood, Kansas, Evacuated As Massive Blaze Spreads From Oklahoma Panhandle". Times Now. February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ "Evacuations underway as wildfire burns 15,000 acres in Oklahoma, Kansas". yahoo.com. Yahoo News. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ Kliewer, Addison (February 19, 2026). "Oklahoma fire risk continues after Gov. Kevin Stitt declares state of emergency". KOCO. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ Steiner, Payton (February 20, 2026). "Kansas rancher loses hundreds of cattle as 300,000 acres burned in wildfire". News Nation. Retrieved February 21, 2026.