This time of year, it's not unusual to see more lightning storms - but thunderstorms mixed with dry lightning can be a dangerous combination.
While there's always a possibility of a fire starting by lightning strike, the National Weather Service (NWS) says these types of storms we've been seeing aren't a huge threat.
Chris Johnston, NWS meteorologist, says, "These storms are moving pretty slow, so they're not really becoming a wildfire risk. Plus, the fuels in the area are still not totally receptive to lightning starts."
Johnston says their main concern is when winds start picking up during drier conditions later this week, with Friday being the highest fire risk day.
The NWS issues fire weather forecasts twice a day to help keep the local fire agencies updated and prepared.
Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran says about one thousand fires across the Great Basin are started by lightning strikes every year.
However, when it comes to a majority of the fires, over 85% are started by people.
Even though there's a low chance of a lightning strike starting a fire during these storms, Cochran asks that people should still keep a sharp eye out for smoke.
He says sometimes fires won't flare up until long after a lightning strike: "What it'll do is it'll smolder for a while, build up some heat, and eventually show itself in the form of a fire or some other breakout like that."
If you do happen see smoke or even smell it make sure to call 911 immediately. The sooner firefighters know about it, the sooner they can take it out.
