Typically, when lightning strikes something on the ground, the object that is struck sends a faint channel upward that joins the downward developing flash and creates the connection to the ground. Taller objects are more likely than shorter objects to produce the upward channel. But it is also possible that something that locally affects the ability of the ground to conduct electricity (such as the salt or moisture content of the ground at the time, the presence or absence of rock, standing water, pipes or other metal objects in the ground), the terrain shape, the shape of leaves or twigs, or something else might make a particular location more likely than another nearby location to be struck.
Like Antique says...do not asume anything. I did and was wrong! Lightning did hit a tree in my back yard...a tall white pine...it got split down the center and crashed to the ground. Now more work too do. This is not a good RC season so far...... Capt,n