Potential lightning strikes in Santa Barbara County poses new concern in Lake Fire battle

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – As the battle against the Lake Fire enters a second week, there's a new concern in the ongoing effort to get a handle on what is now the largest wildfire in the continental United States.

"We're starting to get concerned about the potential for lightning moving in," said Ryan Walbrun, National Weather Service Incident Meteorologist. "We are concerned about new starts and any gusty outflow winds that could blow over the Lake Fire."

Walbrun indicated the electrical activity could arrive in a window period of time covering the early part of this weekend.

"As early as Friday night and into early Saturday morning, mainly across the interior of Santa Barbara County," said Walbrun. "Then during the day Saturday, some more thunderstorms are in the forecast, not necessarily for the Lake Fire itself, but, all across the county."

Walbrun also noted the lightning potential is just the latest weather-related challenge that has made the Lake Fire effort so difficult.

"We've had a record breaking heat spell for the interior areas," said Walbrun. "Now we have the potential for lightning in the forecast. It's definitely a little bit unusual in July to get a monsoon pushed this far west. but we are watching it, and it's a concern not only for the Lake Fire, but for new ignitions across Southern California."