Tree risk assessment Lighning struck trees

With February end of summer and the storm season a month for electrical storms and lightning strikes the question is can and do lightning struck trees survive and if so what can be done for them. Lightning strikes may kill trees outright or severely damaging branches or portions of the trunk (see photo) These wounds may be structurally damaging to the trees stability and also provide wounds open for insect and pathogen decay causing fungi attack. Lightning injury has immediate and long term symptom, an entire tree may burst into flame, branches and trunk maybe blown apart, sometimes leaving a spiral scar down the trunk and the internal tissues may be burnt without any outward signs disrupting the flow of valuable nutrients, water and sugar and starches, the severity of the injury is related to a direct strike the lightning intensity and the amount of water in the bark and the characteristics of the branch and tree. Symptoms could be die back of the foliage open wounds, bark shredding To determine the best response for you tree and to assess its structural integrity contact Fred Janes AQF level 5 at angophora Consulting Arborist for a tree risk and hazard assessment. For any or more information please contact me by phone, e-mail or leave a message on face book and I will contact you (If you do contact by Facebook please leave a Phone number and best time to call).