On Wednesday night, two homes in Winnipeg caught on fire, likely due to lightning, and while such an event is rare, experts are urging safety precautions during thunderstorms.
According to Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, a house going up in flames from a bolt of lightning does not happen very often. Thankfully, no one was harmed and crews were able to put the fires out fairly quickly.
Between 2015 and 2021, crews only responded to 11 fires that had been caused by lightning. Even so, Terri Lang from Environment Canada urges the importance of taking storms seriously as climate change is expected to usher more in.
“Studies have shown that 30 per cent of all deaths and injuries associated with lightning occur before the storm actually hits and 30 per cent occur after the storm is over, so that means people aren’t seeking shelter soon enough and they’re leaving shelter too early,” Lang says.
Lang also stresses the importance of avoiding anything tall outside such as poles and especially trees as these can attract lightning bolts.
“We always say get inside a sturdy building or get inside an enclosed vehicle – so not a golf cart, not a convertible, or anything like that – a closed building and a closed car. Those are the two places that are safest when it comes to lightning.”
Furthermore, she says people should be taking precautions even when inside such as staying out of the bath or shower and only using battery-operated appliances.
“Certainly you’re not supposed to be taking showers or baths or anything like that just because if the houses are struck by lightning, they tend to follow the wiring or the copper piping that’s in the house. So that is not an old wives tale.”
She says more people die from being hit by lightning than tornados so even though it’s a common occurrence people should remain vigilant.
Kimberly Loehr from the National Lightning Safety Council says a single bolt of lightning can impart at least 300 million volts of dangerous and deadly electricity.
“Most lightning victims do not die or are injured by a direct strike. Usually, it’s ground voltage – it’s from lightning hitting something and they get energized from the ground voltage,” Loehr says.
She says while lightning might burn a structure down, it can cause a lot of expense and headaches for people and so a lightning protection system could be a good option.
“In terms of homes, unless the homeowner is familiar with lightning and the damage it causes or maybe they’ve experienced a lightning strike, they typically don’t think about lightning protection.”
“The old fashioned lightning rods that were very tall and easily visible have been replaced with tapered shorter, more inconspicuous copper, aluminum materials.
“Lightning protection is readily available and affordable, and it definitely provides peace of mind.”
Lang says people may not always realize when a bolt of lightning has hit their home because it takes some time for the fire to really burn.
“If you suspect that your house may have been struck by lightning, go search around, especially in the attic and the upper levels, just because, you know, we’ve seen that happen a number of times, that the fires will start, and they’ll get into the insulation, and it’ll take a while, a couple of hours for the fire to get going.”
— with files from Global’s Rosanna Hempel