SASKATOON -- At around 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, a lightning strike to a home on South Point Drive in the Ashwood Estates district of Corman Park caused a fire.
The Saskatoon Fire Department responded to find a fire in the attic. Both occupants of the home and their dogs had safely evacuated from the home. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.
As the fire took place in an area outside of the Saskatoon Fire Department’s investigative jurisdiction, a damage estimate will not be provided. There were no injuries as a result of the fire.
Environment Canada said that Saskatoon saw 21 to 29 millimetres of rainfall overnight Wednesday and there were 7,129 lightning strikes within 50 kilometres of the city.
SaskPower said a substation in Dalmeny was struck by lightning around 10 p.m. causing blackouts to Dalmeny, Langham, Hepburn and Neuanlage as well as surrounding rural areas for a few hours.
SaskPower also said there was a small blackout in the Confederation Park area of Saskatoon.
Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said a storm like this is typical for this time of year and as we enter the summer months bigger storms could be seen more often.
“We do peak through June and into early July and the reason we do is because the crops that are maturing and growing give off a tremendous amount of moisture,” Lang said.
As winter tires go away and umbrellas come out Lang wants to remind people that thunderstorms can be dangerous.
“Lightning is the number one killer and injurer of people when it comes to summer severe weather in Canada,” Lang said.
With files from Chad Leroux
