Florida Forestry Officials Track Lightning Fire

Fortunately for Vicki Lehman, lightning is seldom found without rain in Florida.

For Lehman, a duty officer with the Division of Forestry, and her ranger counterparts, lightning is public enemy No. 1.

"The major concern is lightning strikes. They can keep us really busy," Lehman said.

The game is keeping track of the weather, but not for beachgoers and backyard barbecuers. Weather patterns determine danger levels for fire.

Lightning is always a concern. Lehman's office at 4723 53rd Ave. E. is central command for a five-county area that monitors controlled burns throughout the region. Developers often use fire to clear large swaths of land.

In a typical year, the division of forestry and local fire departments might respond to wildfires weekly, Lehman said. The unusually active rainy season has kept things quiet so far this summer.

Another part of her job requires measuring rainfall totals in a 24-hour period. The division of forestry takes two daily readings - one at 10 a.m., and the other at 2 p.m.

Inconsistent rain patterns can leave parts of the county soaked with places just a few miles away bathed in sunshine, making precipitation totals different depending on where the reading is coming from.

"In the state of Florida, that's just the way it is," Lehman said.