Lightning reaches the ground.
Thunderstorms can produce many cloud-to-ground strikes across a wide area. Where a strike meets dry vegetation, it can start a fire.
Lightning / Wildfire
Lightning can cause catastrophic wildfires.
Lightning can ignite multiple wildfires in a short period, placing pressure on crews, aircraft, and wildfire response resources.
From storm to fire
The challenge begins before a fire starts.
A fire can stay hidden.
Some lightning ignitions smoulder in the ground or vegetation before becoming visible, emerging later as conditions become warmer, drier, or windier.
Several starts compete for resources.
When fires emerge at the same time, crews must locate, assess, and respond to them across a large area, including terrain that can be difficult to access.
The footprint of lightning-caused fire
Lightning fires can burn vast areas.
These figures show the scale of lightning-ignited fires in different places and periods. Each is drawn from the source identified below.
of the national area burned by wildfires over this period was attributed to lightning-caused fires.
Read the researchacres burned in 6,935 lightning-caused wildfires nationwide in 2024.
National Interagency Fire Centerhectares burned in the Gospers Mountain fire, a single fire ignited by lightning in October 2019.
NSW Rural Fire ServiceA place for earlier action
The hours before ignition matter.
Fire will always be part of many landscapes. But when lightning arrives during dangerous fire conditions, even one new ignition can place enormous pressure on wildfire agencies.
See where risk may develop.
Skyward’s Vista platform provides forecasts that help agencies understand where lightning could start fires.
See how Vista worksReduce ground strikes in selected storms.
Lightning abatement is a separate, targeted approach to reducing ground strikes in selected thunderstorms.
How lightning abatement worksStart a conversation
Request a Briefing Let’s discuss wildfire risk.
Talk with our team about lightning and lightning-ignited wildfire risk management.