Trees struck by lightning can show damage in a host of different ways. The trunk may be blown apart, or partially burnt, or it can develop a crack and burn from the inside out. The reason the entire trunk has not caught fire is the considerable moisture content just below the bark.

According to a report by Howard Garrett, there are many symptoms that a lightning-affected tree can demonstrate. In some case, the internal wood may even burn without any external signs. “This wide range of damage is related to such factors as the intensity of the strike, moisture content on and in the tree, and the type and structure of the tree,” he writes.

This 2015 video from Ohio, a midwestern American state, shows a similar burn on a tree struck by lighting – which people at the time dubbed the “Devil Tree.” However, trees often survive such a hit. The Champion Pecan Tree in Weatherford, Texas has more than one lightning scar and is very healthy despite being several hundred years old.