RIDGEVILLE, Ohio — Did you see that eerie photo of a tree that seemed to be glowing from the inside out?
The social media post of a tree on fire in Ridgeville Corners, Henry County, popped up Tuesday as thunderstorms moved through northwest Ohio.
The Ridgeville Township Volunteer Fire Department posted photos of the tree as they found it, with a red-hot burning trunk while the outer branches of the tree seemed green and unaffected.
The scene reminded many -- including WTOL 11 meteorologists Chris Vickers and John Burchfield of something out of the Netflix hit "Stranger Things."
But the burning tree has a totally natural explanation, they said.
"If you do see one of those in person it's a little spooky for sure, but there is a natural cause," Burchfield said.
As the firefighters explained in their tweet, the tree had been struck by lightning Tuesday, setting it ablaze.
"Believe it or not, a lightning bolt can be six times as hot as the surface of the sun and that is 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit," Burchfield said. "Due to that extreme heat, the tree ignites quite quickly."
But why was the inside lit with fire while the outside appeared unaffected? That's because the sap inside is flammable and the outside of the tree is moist, he said.
The incident is a good reminder of basic thunderstorm safety. Don't stand under trees during storms because the height of the tree attracts lightning, Vickers said.
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