Burnt on the inside.... that is what happens to trees hit by lightning too. But especially if the bolt just hits nearby; the charge runs through the ground and up the tree's insides. Edit: I can hardly believe I forgot to mention that one reason I know this is that I was sitting in a chair under a tree, and the ground took the bolt, got hit by lightning 15 ft away. The lightning traveled underground and up the tree. And went the opposite way into my house. Hug Elm tree smoked from the inside, outside basically undamaged. But my poor tree, it wept for a year afterwards and made the ground wet. It is ok now 5 years later.

Burnt on the inside.... that is what happens to trees hit by lightning too. But especially if the bolt just hits nearby; the charge runs through the ground and up the tree's insides. Edit: I can hardly believe I forgot to mention that one reason I know this is that I was sitting in a chair under a tree, and the gound took the bolt, got hit by lightning 15 ft away. The lightning traveled underground and up the tree. And went the opposite way into my house. Hug Elm tree smoked from the inside, outside basically undamaged. But my poor tree, it wept for a year afterwards and made the ground wet. It is ok now 5 years later.

Burnt on the inside.... that is what happens to trees hit by lightning too. But especially if the bolt just hits nearby; the charge runs through the ground and up the tree's insides