Lightning Strikes and Tall Oaks: What to Do When Your Tree Takes a Hit

The metro area’s collection of oak trees remains one of our cultural calling cards. Yet when summer thunderstorms bring lightning flashes, our treasured tall oaks can also become natural lightning rods.

When lightning hits an oak, the moisture inside the wood instantly superheats into steam, causing bark to explode off the trunk or causing severe internal splitting. The Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities Extension says lightning carries up to 100 million volts and reaches temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is five times the temperature of the sun.

While a strike is scary, it isn’t always an immediate death sentence. Here are three of the critical action items to take right after a strike to protect your property and your tree.

Safety First and Triage Second

Safety is always the number one priority. Just after the storm, make sure you keep yourself and others, including pets, away from the tree. Immediately call a tree service company to assess the tree as soon as possible. In the meantime, from a safe distance, give the tree a visual inspection. According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, the most noticeable symptom of a lightning strike on a tree, besides bark damage, is leaf wilting from disrupted water transport in the stem or roots. Additionally, do you spot any immediate hazards such as dangling branches or a split trunk that could fall on your home? Did the strike cause power lines to come down or do you see signs of a fire? If either of the latter proves true, contact emergency responders.

Provide Immediate Moisture

Obviously, lightning can cause a shock to the tree’s system, literally. It disrupts the tree’s ability to move water from the roots to its canopy. Once any emergency hazards are cleared, you can give the tree a slow, deep soak with water. Use a hose to water around the tree’s drip line to prevent tissue dehydration.

Schedule a Professional Evaluation

After a lightning strike, a tree’s internal vascular system can collapse, and its roots may go into shock. However, this can take weeks or even months to fully appear. This means what looks like a surviving tree just after the strike could become structurally compromised by the following season. Additionally, pests, such as bark beetles, are known to take advantage of weakened oaks. A member of the Premier Tree Solutions team can evaluate the tree from top to bottom and customize a long-term recovery plan.

Premier Tree Solutions: Here to Help in a Flash

A lightning strike requires swift, cautious action. By prioritizing safety, providing immediate moisture, and securing expert guidance, you give your majestic oak the best possible chance at recovery.

If a storm has recently impacted your property, contact Premier Tree Solutions for a comprehensive risk and health assessment. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

What happens physically when lightning strikes an oak tree?

When lightning hits an oak, the moisture inside the wood instantly superheats into steam, causing bark to explode off the trunk or creating severe internal splitting.

Should you call emergency services if a tree on your property is struck by lightning?

Call emergency services (911) only if the strike causes an active fire or downs power lines. For general health, risk, and stability assessments of the tree, contact a professional tree service company.

What is the most noticeable visual symptom of a lightning strike on a tree?

Besides visible bark damage, the most noticeable symptom is leaf wilting, which happens when the strike disrupts the tree’s ability to transport water through its stem or roots.

How should you immediately treat an oak tree after a strike?

Once emergency hazards are cleared, give the tree a slow, deep soak with a hose around its drip line to help prevent tissue dehydration caused by disrupted water transport.

Why is a professional evaluation necessary even if the tree looks fine?

A tree’s internal vascular collapse and root shock can take weeks or months to fully appear. A tree that looks fine initially can become structurally compromised or vulnerable to pests like bark beetles by the following season.

How to Prepare and Protect Your Trees for Hurricane Season

 

Portions of metro Atlanta’s tree-lined geography often feel the smack of hurricane season. Tropical systems can send pounding rain and blustery winds our way, even leaving uprooted trees andfallen limbs in their wake.

Just the right pre-storm preparation can help keep your trees and budget safer. The following are three main ways you can protect your trees before hurricane-induced weather comes to town.

Check for Deadwood

When winds prove heavy, deadwood is not your friend. Dead branches can snap with ease and have the ability to transform into heavy, falling debris.

How do you know if an area of a tree has become deadwood? During the summer, look for leafless branches within a fully leafed canopy. Pay close attention to branches that may be hanging over the roof of your home or near power lines.

Sometimes you can remove deadwood in smaller trees yourself. However, you’ll typically find deadwood in mature trees, and the spots are tough to reach. When it comes to deadwooding, accuracy is key, because you want to leave healthy tree tissue intact. Play it safe and lean on an expert to do the job.

Spot Structural & Root Defects

A tree’s roots serve as its natural anchor and a healthy overall structure keeps the tree strong. However, if either are compromised, it can make a tree seriously susceptible to storm damage. Be on the lookout for telltale signs around the root zone, soil line, and trunk.

Do you see trunk cracks? Is the tree leaning? What about any decay on the tree itself or shelf-like mushrooms at the tree’s base? Is the ground lifting around the roots? Say “yes” to any of those questions, and you should call a professional to assist.

First, make sure people and vehicles are out of the potential fall zone. Avoid trying to hold up a dangerous tree using DIY braces like ropes, wooden posts, straps, or metal poles.

 

Snap photos of your concerns and share them with Premier Tree Solutions as soon as possible. One of our professionals can make a tree risk assessment and suggest the appropriate action steps. This can range from supporting the structure to pre-storm tree removal.

Schedule a Pre-Storm Evaluation With a Specialist

Whether you have one or 100 trees on your property, it’s always a smart move to have a seasoned eye assess your trees before hurricane season. A qualified professional, such as those on the Premier Tree Solutions team, can give your landscape a thorough evaluation.

A property health check inspects your trees’ total health and structural integrity. Inspectors aim to catch early signs of disease, pests, decay, or structural weaknesses before severe weather creates safety hazards or irreversible damage. A Premier Tree Solutions inspection provides homeowners with an actionable care plan that promotes long-term tree longevity and prevents costly property hazards.

Jaws removing tree from roof

Help After the Storm

If a storm hits and you’re in need of tree removal, don’t hesitate to call Premier Tree Solutions and request the latest in tree removal technology. The company was the first in Georgia to own and use JAWS, a massive knuckle boom crane and grapple saw, which simplifies and provides maximum control of the entire tree removal process.

Before or After the Storm, Reach for Premier Tree Solutions

Premier Tree Solutions can advise you on how to best safeguard your trees before hurricane season hits. If you need help after the fact, we can help provide some calm after the storm. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

How can I prepare and protect my trees for hurricane season in Atlanta?

Focus on three main steps: check for and remove heavy deadwood; inspect your trees for structural and root defects; and schedule a comprehensive pre-storm evaluation with a qualified professional like Premier Tree Solutions.

How do I identify deadwood on my trees before hurricane season?

During the summer, look for leafless branches within a fully leafed canopy. Pay special attention to dead branches hanging over your roof or near power lines.

What are the warning signs of structural and root defects in a tree?

Telltale signs of instability include deep trunk cracks; a sudden lean; decay on the trunk; shelf-like mushrooms at the base; and soil heaving (ground lifting around roots). If you spot these signs, clear people and vehicles from the fall zone immediately, take photos, and contact a professional such as Premier Tree Solutions for a tree risk assessment.

Can I prop up a leaning or unstable tree with ropes or posts?

No. You should avoid trying to hold up a dangerous tree using DIY braces like ropes, wooden posts, straps, or metal poles. Clear the area and call a professional immediately.

What is included in a Premier Tree Solutions pre-storm evaluation?

A property health check inspects your trees’ total health and structural integrity to catch early signs of disease, pests, decay, or structural weaknesses before severe weather hits. Premier Tree Solutions provides homeowners with an actionable care plan.