Tree burns from the inside after being struck by a 50,000 F lightning bolt in Ohio and set ablaze
Glowing red-hot flames swirled up the trunk while the rest of the tree’s branches and leaves remained healthy and untouched by the smoldering fire
Lightning bolts have a temperature of 50,000F – 10 times hotter than the surface of the sun
Ridgeville Township firefighters responded to the burning tree located on a plot of land, near a shed, storage unit, with a cornfield nearby
A tree service company was called in to ensure all flames were out
Trees are said to be natural lightning rods because their sap serves as a conductor. Purdue University experts explain:
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A huge Ohio tree struck by lightning looked sinister as it burned from within as glowing red-hot flames shot up through the trunk.
Lightning bolts have a temperature of 50,000°F, meaning the tree was set on fire with flames initially 10 times hotter than the sun’s surface.
The fire started early Tuesday morning as severe storms swept through the area of rural Ridgeville Township, Ohio, about 75 miles southwest of Toledo, bringing damaging winds and torrential rainfall to the area.
Ridgeville Township firefighters responded to the burning tree that sits on a large plot of land, near a barn and storage facility, with a cornfield nearby.
As flames moved along the inner trunk of the tree while the outer branches and the rest of the branches and leaves of the tree remained healthy and unaffected.
The surrounding property was also unaffected by the fire.
The mysterious tree fire started early Tuesday morning as severe storms swept through the area of rural Ridgeville Township, about 75 miles southwest of Toledo.
A second video of the burning tree showed what the inside was like
Ridgeville Township firefighters responded to the burning tree located on a large plot of land, near a shed and storage unit, with a cornfield nearby
A close-up of some of the damage the tree sustained after firefighters extinguished the flames
“Lightning can do crazy things,” the fire service wrote on their Facebook page, sharing the terrifying images.
Fire officials said they “had a hard time getting to every hot spot in this log” and called in a tree service to ensure all flames were destroyed.
Purdue University experts provided an explanation as to why this natural phenomenon occurred, which is in part due to trees serving as natural lightning rods, as their sap serves as a conductor.
The way they also grow in rings means their insides are composed of layers that can catch fire and burn from the inside, while the outside initially appears stable.