What's a Lithium-Ion Battery?
Lithium-ion batteries are an increasingly common type of rechargeable battery, found in smartphones, electric vehicles, laptops, and other electronic devices.
Clipart Photo by Tyler Lastovich
- How Lithium-Ion Batteries WorkThis article from energy.gov uses an animation to walk the reader through the basics of how a lithium-ion battery works.
Why Do We Care?
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries, especially those in vehicles, require special care and response. The chemistry of a lithium-ion battery means that fires involving them can: emit toxic gases, be hotter and burn faster. These fires are harder to put out, and have an increased risk of reignition.
- Lithium-Ion BatteriesThis set of resources from FEMA deals with lithium-ion batteries in vehicles and those in household electronics. It has community education and prevention material, and firefighter-specific information on the unique risk and challenges of these fires.
- Lithium-Ion Battery SafetyNFPA provides resources addressing smaller devices, e-bikes and e-scooters, and electric vehicles. There is also an FAQ which explains some common causes and dangers of lithium-ion battery fires.
Lithium-Ion Batteries and Natural Disasters
Submerging a lithium-ion battery-powered device in saltwater, especially an electric vehicle, greatly increases the risk of fire. This can be an unexpected danger when returning to an area hit by a hurricane or flood.
This article talks about how, after Hurricane Milton, electric vehicle owners were advised to take special precautions:
Lithium ion batteries also pose extra danger when they have been exposed to extreme heat or otherwise damaged. This can complicate return and clean up after a wildfire.
This article discusses the massive lithium-ion battery cleanup begun after the Palisades and Eaton Fires in Los Angeles.
NBC: 'Unprecedented' number of lithium ion batteries complicates LA wildfires cleanup