When a hurricane like Helene or Milton ravages coastal communities, already-strained first responders face a novel, and growing, threat: the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, e-bikes, and countless gadgets. When exposed to the salty water of a storm surge, EV battery fires can and do occur. These batteries are at risk of bursting into flames — and taking an entire house with them.

“Anything that’s lithium-ion and exposed to salt water can have an issue,” said Bill Morelli, the fire chief in Seminole, Florida, and the bigger the battery, the greater the threat. That’s what makes EVs especially hazardous. “[The problem] has expanded as they continue to be more and more popular.”

It is not yet clear how many EV battery fires may have occurred in the wake of Hurricane Milton, which slammed into Siesta Key on Wednesday, leaving at least 16 people dead and some 80,000 in shelters. But there have been 48 confirmed battery fires related to storm surge from Hurricane Helene, 11 of them associated with EVs.

Morelli’s crews fought three EV battery fires. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue reported at least two EV battery fires, one from an electric bike and another from a Mercedes-Benz EQB300 that led to what a fire department representative called “major damage to the home.” CNN and other outlets reported on a fire in Sarasota sparked by a Tesla Model X.

Overall, EV battery fires are far from common. Idaho National Laboratory found that of the 3,000 to 5,000 electric vehicles damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, about three dozen caught fire. Public awareness of the risk has mounted since then, with officials up to and including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urging residents to move their EVs to higher ground ahead of storms. But the chemistry and construction of lithium-ion batteries make them especially prone to fires that are difficult for first responders to combat.

“They burn hot, they burn fast, and they’re hard to extinguish,” Morelli said.

Read the full article about EV battery fires by Tik Root at Grist.