Cootamundra RFS will continue to monitor a large tree that was found burning the day after a lightning strike during Friday’s storm.

Lightning has also been blamed for bringing down at least one tree, damaging a roadside memorial to four young Cootamundra area residents who lost their lives in a 2012 car crash.

Cootamundra resident Sue Brown said her family was started on Friday at about 1pm by a loud noise on Hurley Street.

“My son nearly hit the roof,” she said.

“I think (the tree) was truck by lightning. I could smell burning.

“There was one big crash of thunder then it came down.”

Mrs Brown returned from a journey out of town on Saturday to find the fallen tree and the memorial had been cleared away.

“It’s all gone now, even the crosses are gone,” she said.

“I’m not quite sure what is going to happen with the memorial.

“This was a really sad one as people who lost their children and family members came out and visited quite a lot.”

The Treetops native garden of Win and Jim Main was “severely damaged” by falling tree. 

The garden has held multiple open days over the years to raise funds for Cootamundra Nursing Home and the Red Cross. 

“We were in Cootamundra during the storm helping rescue, along with others, furniture outside Helen’s Coffee (Lounge) that was being blown away on the street,” Win said. 

“Our car was parked outside . Fortunately no damage was done to our home or farm buildings.”

Cootamundra Rural Fire Service sprayed down a tree with retardant on Saturday after a fire ignited by lightning on Friday started to take hold.

“Coota 1Alpha has returned to station after putting a couple more loads of retardant on a large tree that was struck by lightning (on Friday),” Cootamundra RFS posted on Facebook. 

“Height of tree makes it hard to extinguish. With the warmer weather coming this tree will be monitored.

“It's in a safe location and no danger to anyone.”

Heavy rain on Friday also helped dampen a number of other fires that were ignited by lightning.