A power flash is a flash of light caused by arcing electrical discharges from damaged electrical equipment, most often severed power lines. They are often caused by strong winds, especially those from tropical cyclones and tornadoes, and occasionally by intense downbursts and derechoes.
They can be distinguished from lightning by the fact that they originate at ground level, the blue color of the flash, and depending on distance, the sound of high-voltage lines shorting out.
There are many potential explanations for sightings. We recommend eliminating the most common and mundane before jumping to less probable conclusions or you submit a report.
Live flight tracking maps are available for monitoring airline, marine, and balloon traffic and trajectories in real-time or historically around the world.
Planned launches occur regularly all over the globe. These tracks can help identify the potential missions or launches in your area.
Satellite tracking can also be done in real-time with the aid of tracking maps. They are also helpful for tracking Starlink launches.
There are a number of sites which track solar flares, magnetic storms, asteroids, and other events which are helpful for eliminating explanations related to astronomic phenomena.
French site (with English translations) with resources and examples covering the most commonly observed phenomena and explanations for UFOs.