A lightning strike ignited a wildfire at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood, Colorado Tuesday evening, sending one person to the hospital and prompting a multi-agency response from crews in the Denver metro area.
West Metro Fire Rescue crews responded shortly before 6pm after lightning struck near the course’s 6th hole. One person in the immediate area was injured in the strike and was transported to the hospital. Their condition has not been released.
The lightning ignited a pocket of dead, dry grass, brush, and downed trees in a rough area of the course west of Denver. Firefighters moved quickly to keep the blaze contained to approximately 2 acres, and no structures were threatened during the incident.
Crews used a drone equipped with infrared technology during mop up operations to locate hidden pockets of heat, helping ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
The incident comes amid an active start to Colorado’s summer thunderstorm season, with lightning-caused fires a recurring concern across the West as dry vegetation, warm temperatures, and severe wildfire conditions persist.