Lightning protection in cabled and braced trees

[flushcut]

Should we be installing lightning protection in cabled and braced trees?
We had some bad weather roll through yesterday and one of my custies trees was struck and blew apart. The lead that had one side of the cable shattered completely releasing the cable. So that got me wondering about the fact there is now metal up in the tree acting like a lightning rod. Did it attract lightning? I’m not sure. Any way I thought it might bring some discussion.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I would consider it if steel rope cable is used and if the tree is a lone specimen or taller than some around it. Not that lightening GAS about how tall things are

 

[Nutball]

Did the cable make the tree more prone to a strike? Maybe a little. Would a lightning rod protect a tree, probably.

Sounds like a new service to advertise: lightning rod installation to help protect trees near structures from blowing apart. You just have to make sure it goes high enough that the tree won't out grow it too quickly.

 

[flushcut]

It’s something to consider.

 

[flushcut]

So we removed the tree today and the cable certainly looks struck. I’ll get a pic tomorrow. The end of one of the strands is melted over and there are shiny spots on the Rigguy, looking like arc marks to me.
I’m guessing the cable attracted the lightning. Reason being is that I found chunks of the tree with the thru hole from the cable blown the farthest away from the tree, one chunk was 90’ away by the road, another bounced off the the neighbors brick siding 60’ away, and another 50’ away. Anyway it’s just conjecture at this point but if I’m reading the destruction right it’s possible.

 

[stikine]

I seem to remember @Mellow discussing installing lightning protection awhile ago?

 

[Altissimus]

Metal was probably strike point , what causation ? , probably shouldn't blame it .. height, proximity to other trees , and wood moisture content factors as well.

 

[Altissimus]

Height meaning top height , also have heard read that root configuration and moisture content of the soil factor in to lightning's target decision

 

[Sep]

I haven't installed lightning protection in a while, but I believe you tie the cables into the system so it all goes to ground.

 

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Pics

So one pic has shiny spots on the Rigguy, the other is a nice little melted end, and the other shows melting of the zinc coating. This was the cable in the tree half that exploded.

 

[Burnham]

It does look a bit cooked.

 

[flushcut]

Just some random tree weirdness I thought I post.