Live lightning strike map... Just check out the North America

[raven mad]

4. Sigh. Once again, Alaska is not a part of North America...........

Lightning sparks new fires across Interior Alaska

Updated 10:35 p.m.: The Division of Forestry says more than 18,000 lightning strikes were recorded Saturday and Sunday, resulting in at about 37 new fires. About two dozen were within the Bureau of Land Management protection zones in the northern part of the state. Initial suppression efforts are underway on several fires and more new fires are anticipated to be discovered Monday.

FAIRBANKS - Firefighting crews were busy Sunday responding to new fires throughout the Interior caused by a flurry of lightning over the weekend.

More than 8,000 lightning strikes were reported in the state on Saturday, and at least 8,300 through Sunday evening. Around 20 new fires were reported over the weekend, according to the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center.

Another example of climate change? Yep - I've seen more thunderstorms in the past 5 years here in the interior than I did for 35 years before that.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/lightning-sparks-new-fires-across-interior-alaska/article_615902ea-3be4-11e6-af2a-df37959e0f66.html