Two structure fires in Ware County resulting from lightning in one afternoon — while very rare — shouldn’t be all that surprising given Georgia’s standing as a state with a high frequency of lightning strikes.
The state annually ranks in the top 10 in the nation in terms of density for lightning strikes per square mile, according to data compiled by the Insurance Information Institute.
The steeple at Deenwood Baptist Church was struck by lightning around 5 p.m., Monday, July 6 as a severe thunderstorm hit the area. The strike led to a fire that caused major damage to the sanctuary and roof before it could be brought under control, said Dee Meadows, Chief of Ware County Fire and Rescue as well as a longtime member of the church.
Chief Meadows said about 1:30 p.m., that same day, lightning hit a workshop detached from a home on Woodridge Avenue and was a total loss from the resulting fire.
Both Meadows and Waycross Fire Department Chief Jim Blackburn, could remember few instances of double lightning strikes in one day causing fires. Each has more than three decades of experience in fire service.
“Two in one day is very, very rare,” said Chief Meadows, whose Ware County personnel responded to both fires.
Blackburn, who’s personnel aided in the church fire, echoed his colleague’s history with lightning strikes.
“I’ve been involved in a couple, not many,” said Chief Blackburn, who’s in his 36th year of fire service. “Years and years ago we had two houses hit in one night from the same thunderstorm, but you just don’t see an awful lot (of lightning fires) here with structures.”
About 41 percent of all fires caused by lightning hit structures like homes, data shows.
Georgia frequently ranks among the top five states for lightning-related insurance claims, more than 4,000 in 2025, data showed.
The average cost per claim was $22,000.
Nationally, the numbers are even more striking. U.S. insurers paid out an estimated $1.65 billion in lightning-related homeowners claims in 2025, the insurance information institute said.
Thunderstorms in June, July and August account for more than 75 percent of property damage resulting from the weather, statistics show.
When you consider the heat and power produced by lightning, it’s not surprising fires often result.
On average, a single lightning bolt reaches a temperature of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit and produces enough electricity to power a 100 watt light bulb for 3 months.
Texas records the highest total volume of lightning strikes in the U.S., because of its land size.
Florida experiences the highest lightning strike density and the most lightning-related fatalities related primarily to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America and inland lakes.
