"Martha, get the buckets, the tree by the lake is on fire"

Lightning, Tomahawk WI:

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsBumdSnH6U 

I found this video so weird.  For one thing: the sky doesn't look dark and threatening.  No rain that I could see.  Just a bolt from the sky.

The title says "powerful lightning" but I'm wondering if this was more of a random mini-bolt ?  It seems to me that a powerful strike would have done more damage.

This also reminds me of the recent strike in the back:

https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2025/08/lightning-strikes.html 

I wonder if it is time to consider making some kind of lightning detector ?

https://wenzeltech.com/Projects/lightningdetectors.htm 

I'd like to try that 

No Moving Parts Field Mill

 but dunno about plundering an Americium pellet from a smoke detector.

Finally I also thought: too bad it was an evergreen, Wonderboy was made from hardwood:

https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2025/04/wonderboy.html 

 

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm