SEE: Santa Cruz Skies Sparkle As Lightning Strikes

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Santa Cruz photographer Michael Bolte captured an electrifying sampling of the nearly 4,000 lightning strikes recorded across the Bay Area and Central Coast by the National Weather Service.

Bolte photographed the jolting strikes as they illuminated the skies above Westside Santa Cruz and Mima Meadow on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus, along Empire Grade.

Most of the strikes occurred amid roaring thunderstorms Sunday that ignited a slew of wildfire clusters across the Bay Area, though lightning continued to strike the region into Monday, according to NWS. Many strikes occurred on the offshore waters and did not touch land.

The Cal Fire unit near Bolte — which serves Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties — reported 22 fires sparked within a 14-hour period, beginning early Sunday morning. The series of fires have scorched 1,000 acres as of Monday afternoon.

As fires rage across the Golden State, NWS warns that lightning-related fire activity might not be over just yet. There is a chance that under the right conditions, embers still smoldering as a result of lightning could ignite into fires.

View more of Bolte's work here.