Storms
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Cloud Lightning

US: Lightning Strike At Hammonassett Beach Kills 1, Injures 4


Courant.com
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:57 UTC
Connecticut, US - The pavilion must have seemed safe to Mauricio Bugatti when a thunderstorm suddenly raced over Hammonasset beach last weekend. But he stood too close to a wooden pillar, and that's most likely what killed him.

Bugatti, 23, of West Haven, died when lightning struck the pavilion Sunday at West Beach in Hammonasset Beach State Park. Four others who stood near the same pillar - including a 12-year-old - were injured. Those seeking shelter from the storm probably did not realize it, but the pavilion was one of the worst places to be, according to Richard Kithil, founder and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Lightning Safety Institute in Denver. When a lightning bolt hits, it jumps from one object to the next on its way to the ground, and it is drawn to human bodies because of their high saltwater content, experts said.
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Cloud Lightning

Severe Weather socks West Michigan

Bob Brenzing
WZZM 13 News
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:35 UTC
Severe thunderstorms are winding down across West Michigan, leaving a trail of downed trees and power lines in their wake.

Most severe weather reports are of hail and heavy rains.

There are reports of some trees down and lightning strikes of homes and power lines.
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Phoenix

US: Lightning sparks fires in Northern Nevada

Ray Hagar
RJG.com
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:23 UTC
Dry, hot conditions and lightning strikes sparked at least seven fires in the Reno-Sparks area Sunday, while smoke from fires in California continued to blow into the Reno area.
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Cloud Lightning

Colorado, US: Most wildfires blamed on lightning

Howard Pankratz and Kieran Nicholson
The Denver Post
Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:50 UTC
More than a dozen wildfires have been sparked in Colorado in the past week, most by "dry lightning," and the biggest has burned more than 1,100 acres in Park County.

The Nash Ranch fire, which started Thursday afternoon east of Guffey, forced the evacuation of about 150 homes, said Linda Balough, a Park County spokeswoman.

Two structures - a shed and camper trailer - have been lost to the blaze, Balough said.

About 125 fire fighters, including a Rocky Mountain Area Type II Incident Management Team, swarmed into the Guffey area to battle the blaze, she said.

Dry conditions, swirling winds and high temperatures have combined to make this year an active fire season.



Image
©The Colorado Springs Gazette | KEVIN KRECK
A single engine air tanker drops retardent on the fire burning near Guffy, Colo., Friday, June 27, 2008.

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Extinguisher

US: Lightning Starts More Than 800 Fires In Northern California


Associated Press
Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:12 UTC
More than 800 wildfires sparked by an "unprecedented" lightning storm burned a swath of Northern California from Big Sur to wine country to Humboldt County on Monday.

Thousands of firefighters battled the blazes on the ground and from the air and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was alarmed by the number of fires that kept erupting.
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Cloud Lightning

Funnel Clouds Spotted Across Area During Storm - Ohio


News Net 5
Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:00 UTC
Funnel cloud sightings were reported across northeast Ohio Saturday.

Residents experienced heavy rain, wind, lightning, hail during severe storms across the area.

A tornado warning was issued for some areas, NewsChannel5 reported.
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Better Earth

US: Unusual lightning storm starts series of wildfires

Nathan Rushton
The Eureka Reporter
Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:10 UTC
Fire crews already spread thin fighting blazes across California are dealing with a flurry of new fires on the North Coast caused from an unusual and powerful lightning storm that struck on Friday.

As of Saturday evening, CAL FIRE reported that approximately 37 lightning-caused fires were started during the past 24 hours in widely scattered areas of its Humboldt-Del Norte Unit.
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning Threat

John Howes
The Brazil Times
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:58 UTC
Lightning brightens the sky and provides a spectacular display of Mother Nature's power.

This awesome phenomenon also causes more deaths and property destruction in a typical year than floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined.

Don't underestimate the dangers of lightning.

The threat of lightning danger can occur anytime, but the most likely time for damaging thunderstorms is June through August.
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Phoenix

Barn razed in wildfire east of Colorado Springs

Kirk Mitchell and Erin Emery
The Denver Post
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:04 UTC
One building and a corral burned today after dry lightning strikes ignited at least four grass fires that were nourished by strong wind gusts.

El Paso County Sheriff's Lt. Lari Sevene said authorities received at least six calls about 2 p.m. of fires in the area, roughly 15 miles east of Colorado Springs.

Sevene said deputies notified residents in a "a handful - maybe three or four" homes to evacuate or prepare to evacuate. No injuries to people or animals were reported.

Two of the fires were under control by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

As of 5:00 p.m., some 1,000 acres had been consumed by four separate fires.
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Cloud Lightning

Michigan girl survives lightning strike, then wins lottery


Associated Press
Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:57 UTC
Blanchard teen BreAnna Helsel escaped serious injury when she was struck by lightning.

It happened June sixth as she was closing a kitchen window at home during a storm.
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