Fire Damage Caused by Lightning

1/23/2019 (Permalink)

Home that caught on fire after a lightning strike.

The National Weather Service reports that lightning starts about 4,400 house fires each year, causing around $300 million in damages. About 16 deaths are attributed to lightning-caused fires each year, most of the victims being occupants of houses ignited by a bolt.

Although every lightning strike could start a fire, some are more likely than others to do so. Some flashes contain a continuous flow of electricity, known as a continuing current or "hot lightning." In such cases, the charge flows continuously over a sustained period of time rather than in intermittent surges. This longer period of charge flow causes the stricken object to heat up and possibly ignite.

The chances of a specific building being hit by lightning are based upon the location and the topography. Because of this, Louisiana ranks second behind Florida in the list of most lightning-prone states in the U.S., according to The Weather Channel. Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas round out the top five. The ranking is based on the average number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes per square mile each year.

In terms of individual structures, the Empire State Building in New York City is struck on average about 75 times per year.

Experts say that while lightning strikes randomly choose their victims, there are preventative steps that residents may take. They include:

Staying away from windows

Getting off land-line telephones

Use a home lightning protection system

Unplug electronics and appliances

Install transient voltage surge suppressors

Check your homeowners and renters insurance coverage