Forest fires and lightning

Here are some quick facts regarding forest fires from Natural Resources Canada:

Forest fires started by lightning:  

Forest fire occurrence, and area burned are highly variable:  

Other studies have attributed lightning-related damage and disruption costs to the Canadian economy to be between $600 million and $1 billion each year (Mills et al. 2009).

For the latest update on current forest fires and what has caused them, visit the Lightning and Forest Fires, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC).

A lightning bolt strikes a tree lined mountain top during a night storm (Kelowna, British Columbia).

Photo: © Greg Dean, 2009

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