Struck by Lightning

Lightning is not an everyday occurrence in the chaparral of the San Bernardino National Forest, but it becomes much more common during the summer monsoon season, especially from July through September. Historical Forest Service research found that about 85 percent of the area’s annual lightning activity occurs during those three months, with August alone accounting for roughly 42 percent. Lightning-caused fires have historically peaked in July and August as thunderstorms build over the mountains, sometimes producing strikes with little accompanying rainfall. In the dry chaparral, even a single strike can smolder unnoticed before becoming a wildfire, making these brief summer storms an important natural force in shaping the landscape.