Lithium Battery Fires Pose Serious Risks

Experts warn of the dangers of lithium battery fires, including at electric vehicle charging stations and energy storage facilities.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 12:45pm

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A bold, abstract painting in the style of Hilma af Klint, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals in fiery reds, oranges, and yellows against a dark background, representing the complex and destructive nature of lithium battery fires.A visualization of the intense chemical reactions and physical forces that make lithium battery fires so difficult to extinguish and environmentally damaging.Moss Landing Today

Lithium battery fires can be extremely difficult to extinguish and release toxic heavy metals into the air and soil, posing serious risks to public health and the environment. Experts have warned about the growing threat of lithium battery fires, including incidents at electric vehicle charging stations and large-scale energy storage facilities.

Why it matters

As the use of lithium-ion batteries continues to expand in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and other applications, the potential for devastating fires is a major safety concern that requires greater awareness and preparedness.

The details

Lithium burns at extremely high temperatures, making lithium battery fires nearly impossible to put out once they start. These fires have caused destruction at electric vehicle charging stations, battery storage plants, and even homes when EVs caught fire during hurricanes. In addition to the fire risk, lithium battery fires release toxic heavy metals like cobalt into the air and soil, contaminating the surrounding environment.

  • In 2026, a major fire destroyed California's Moss Landing battery storage facility.
  • During recent hurricanes in Florida, abandoned electric vehicles in garages caught fire when their electrical systems were submerged in floodwaters.

The players

Bonner Cohen

A senior fellow at the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) who has reported on the devastating fires at California battery storage plants.

Moss Landing Battery Storage Facility

A $500 million energy storage project in California that was destroyed by a lithium battery fire in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“Alongside the threat to human health from direct exposure to airborne microparticles of heavy metals, levels of cobalt in the agricultural region's soils near Moss Landing are 100 to 1,000 times above normal, and they will linger there for a century or more.”

— Bonner Cohen, Senior Fellow, CFACT

What’s next

Experts and policymakers are calling for greater safety regulations and preparedness measures to address the growing risks of lithium battery fires, including improved firefighting techniques and environmental monitoring around battery storage facilities.

The takeaway

The threat of lithium battery fires is a serious and growing concern that requires urgent action to protect public safety and the environment. As the use of these batteries continues to expand, greater awareness, regulation, and preparedness are needed to mitigate the risks.