Efforts to clean up the wildfire damage in Los Angeles neighborhoods have been complicated by the presence of highly combustible lithium-ion batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated Phase 1 of the federal cleanup, with surveyors working to remove and dispose of hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries found in charred vehicles and homes.
The EPA has issued a warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries, emphasizing that they can be extremely dangerous, even if they appear intact. These batteries have the potential to spontaneously re-ignite, explode, and emit toxic gases and particulates, even after the fire has been extinguished.
