I have an idea, go out to Willow Creek on a stormy day where it is lighting, and lay those things out on the ground. Yesterday when I was playing in Willowcreek, my sim's yard got struck by lightening a lot. I ended up having to replace two, of the three, of my water catchers, a windmill, and Patchy's post was turned into ash. Patchy is now postless. lol By the time the day had ended and the lightning had stopped I had many many dark spots where the ground was struck.
I'm not sure if there is a connection between the ECO items I had in the yard or not, but WOW never in my life had I seen so much lightning strikes in my sim's yard in a single storm.
