lightning News

Some Residents of Queen Valley Evacuated by Growing Wildfire

QUEEN VALLEY, Ariz. — An evacuation order was issued Tuesday for some residents of Queen Valley east of Phoenix as crews continued to battle a lightning-caused wildfire. Tonto National Forest officials said the fire had burned nearly 33 square miles …

Death Toll From Storms in South and Midwest Rises to 11

HOUSTON — Severe storms sweeping across southern portions of the U.S. and up into the Midwest were blamed Saturday in the deaths of at least 11 people, including two first responders, as high winds, tornadoes and unrelenting rain battered large …

Lightning Strike at Tour Championship Causes 6 Injuries

ATLANTA — Six people were injured Saturday when lightning struck a 60-foot pine at the Tour Championship where they were taking cover from rain and showered them with debris, Atlanta police said. The third round of the season-ending PGA Tour …

Fire No Longer Threatens Key Idaho Nuclear Facilities

BOISE, Idaho — The nation’s primary nuclear research facility planned to go back to regular operations on Thursday after a change in wind direction pushed a wildfire away from the sprawling site in Idaho. The fire no longer poses a …

Crews Use Controlled Burns to Fight Kenai Peninsula Wildfire

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A wildfire on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula expanded Wednesday but fire crews used controlled burns to create firebreaks and protect a highway leading to some of the state’s most popular tourist destinations. The fire grew about 8% to …

Most Powerful Lightning Strikes Peak in the Morning

Wherever you are, if it’s 8 a.m. it’s time for the kids to be in school, time perhaps for a second cup of coffee, and time for the most powerful lightning strikes of the day. Not the largest number of …

Allstate Ranks Texas’ Top 25 Counties for Hail, Wind and Lightning

Texas storms clobbered more Allstate insured homes in Midland than any other part of the state over the past five years, while Smith county saw the highest frequency of lightning. Allstate tallied the top 25 Texas counties affected by severe …

Lightning Blamed for Some Indiana Building Fires

Lightning is the suspected cause of some building fires that broke out as a wave of thunderstorms moved across much of northern and central Indiana. Authorities say a house in the Madison County city of Elwood was destroyed in one …

Fire Damages Illinois Church, Lightning Blamed

A fire that may have been caused by a lightning strike has caused about $1 million worth of damage to a church in Danville, Ill. Larry Thomason is the public safety director in the town along the Illinois-Indiana state line. …

Lightning Caused Florida Brush Fire That Burned 200 Acres

Firefighters continue to mop up hot spots in a Florida county after lightning caused a 200-acre brush fire that damaged four homes. An investigation found that Sunday’s fire started when lightning struck a tree in thick woods at St. Lucie …