[1] It is located 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Fresno,[3] at an elevation of 203 feet (62 m).

[1] Burrel is located midway between California State Route 99 and Interstate 5.

[4] The place is named for Cuthbert Burrel, owner of a nearby ranch.

[3] In the 1850s and 1860s, nearby Elkhorn Station functioned as a stage stop.

[3] A post office was established at Burrel in 1912,[3] but was eventually shut down, with mail now routed through nearby Riverdale.