OSCEOLA, Neb. -- Fire crews in an eastern Nebraska town are letting a tree burn itself out after a lightning strike. 

The Osceola Fire and Rescue took a video of the tree showing there were red embers inside of its trunk. 

They said in a Facebook post that residents may be smelling smoke for the next few days. 

The hollowed-out tree south of town was hit by lightning Wednesday and caught on fire. 

Authorities said a contractor has been hired to knock the tree down; and because of hot and dry conditions, they chose to let it burn so crews can have better control and not allow the fire to spread.