Lightning — Archuleta, Colorado

2021-07-31 · near Chimney Rock, Archuleta, Colorado

Event narrative

Three firefighters working during the mopping up stages on the Johnny Canyon Fire east of Baldy Mountain were caught in a thunderstorm near the 9500 foot level. The thunderstorm intensified overhead with heavy rain, hail and continuous lightning. The crew decided to hunker down in place and wait for the storm to pass. After hearing a large thunderclap, the crew decided they needed to move down the mountain to a safer location. While hiking out, the crew passed through a metal fence gate when one firefighter saw a lightning strike very close by. He saw it split between a tree and the metal fence and immediately felt tingling and cramping in his feet and lower back. Another firefighter was in the process of latching the metal fence gate when he felt a jolt go through his harm and his arm tingling. There were no serious injuries between the three firefighters and all refused treatment, even though they were shivering badly and were experiencing the early stages of hypothermia from being exposed to the heavy rain and hail.

Wider weather episode

A moist and unstable environment brought scattered thunderstorms producing frequent cloud-to-ground lightning to the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.3474, -107.3856)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 991557. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.