Arborists of Your Area, British Columbia describe how to deal with lightning damage to your trees.
What to Do When Lightning Strikes a Tree
It is common knowledge that sheltering under a tree in a thunderstorm is perhaps one of the most dangerous things a person can do. The higher the tree, the more likely it is to be struck by lightning. If a tree is struck, that doesn’t mean that it will not recover. While some trees may be lost, there may be hope for a damaged tree if proper steps are taken.
3 Results of Lightning Striking Trees
When lightning strikes a tree, there are only three different things that can happen:
- No damage
- Tree damage, but the tree survives
- Tree death.
The lightning may be diverted along the outside of the tree if it is wet enough. In this case, the tree narrowly escapes damage. When a tree is actually struck, the lightning superheats the water inside turning it into a gaseous state. There is no room within the tree for the gas causing an explosion outward. The lightning bolt can also cause burn damage to the tree. This can cause extensive damage and in the worst cases, tree death.
How Extensive is the Damage?
Assessing the damage to a tree is the first step toward helping it recover from the lightning strike. If a homeowner actually witnesses the strike, they should not approach the tree right away. They should wait until any residual electricity has dissipated. If only one side or one area of the tree seems to be damaged, there is an excellent chance of recovery for the tree.
Repair and Recovery
The main ways to help a tree recover from a lightning strike are pruning, watering, fertilization, and professional consultation.
- Pruning: The first thing that needs to be provided for an injured tree is to remove the obviously burned or split parts. Any other pruning needs to wait in order to prevent extra stress on the tree.
- Watering: Make sure the tree has plenty of water to aid its recovery.
- Fertilization: The homeowner should consider adding a bit of fertilizer to nourish the tree. Be cautious in the amount used.
- Professional Consultation: In order for a tree to have the best chance of survival, an arborist should do a tree inspection and a tree risk assessment.
Professional Tree Health Assessment
Whether or not your tree survived a lightning strike, the best call is to book an appointment with a professional. Arborists care about your trees almost as much as you do. They can provide emergency tree service and can extract damaged tree branches with surgical precision. The tree service company can also provide a recovery and maintenance plan for the damaged tree.
They will also deal with tree removal safely and effectively if the worst-case scenario happens. A dead or dying tree can be a serious tree hazard and can cause safety concerns for a family. The tree services that arborists provide can keep not only your trees healthy, but also keep your family safe.
About My Tree Service
My Tree Service proudly serves the Your Area, BC area with excellent customer service and highly-trained employees. We provide a wide variety of tree and vegetation management options and will keep our customers and their property safe.