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In early June 2025, the Morning Midas, a massive ship transporting more than 3,000 vehicles from China to Mexico, caught fire near the Alaskan coast. The fire began on a deck containing approximately 750 electric and hybrid vehicles. Once smoke was detected, the crew realized they were utterly unprepared to deal with an electric vehicle (EV) fire of that size. All 22 of them quickly abandoned ship, leaving the vessel and its cargo adrift and ablaze.
Closer to home (at least, my home), five Waymo autonomous taxicabs were vandalized and burned by rioters last weekend during violent protests in Los Angeles. Built on the Jaguar I-PACE platform, each vehicle carried lithium-ion battery packs weighing over 1,200 pounds. Once ignited, these batteries burned so intensely that the fires reduced the robotaxis to mere skeletons.
This was not an isolated case. In February 2024, a similar event occurred in San Francisco’s Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations. In that case, the Waymo vehicle was vandalized and set ablaze using fireworks. These destructive events underscore the volatility of EV fires and the risks firefighters must confront when fighting them.
The unique risks of EV fires
According to Scientific American, each of these Waymo taxis carries “roughly 90 kilowatt-hours of stored chemical energy, comparable to about 170 pounds (77 kilograms) of TNT.” When battery enclosures are degraded — by fire, or as we’ve seen with EVs in hurricane-flooded regions, salt water — a chain reaction can cause a phenomenon called “thermal runaway.”
Once thermal runaway begins, fire propagates internally from one battery cell to the next, generating temperatures as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Even when the flames have been knocked down, the internal battery chemistry can continue to smolder. In some cases, fires have reignited several hours (or even days) after initial extinguishment. This is not a matter of poor suppression technique but rather a result of the underlying physics and chemistry that govern modern battery systems.
EV fires also bring significant risks from airborne toxins. Smoke from a burning lithium-ion battery can include hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and other harmful gases. Like any vehicle fire, EV blazes should be treated as a hazardous materials incident from the very beginning, with crews in full PPE and SCBA.
In summary, EV fires are not just different; they are a class of emergency all their own. If your department is not currently training its personnel to fight LI-battery fires, it’s time to get started!
Suppression techniques
Controlling an EV fire begins with the understanding that extinguishing visible flames is only part of the task. The real challenge lies in cooling the battery pack to prevent reignition. Believe it or not, the most effective suppression tool is still water — used not to smother, but to absorb and carry away intense heat from deep inside the battery cores.
Fire crews should be prepared to:
- Deploy large volumes of water. Upwards of 3,000 to 8,000 gallons may be necessary, depending on battery size and access.
- Apply continuous water flow directly to the battery compartments (if accessible). Short bursts are not sufficient.
- Use thermal imaging cameras (TICs) to monitor the temperature of the batteries during and after suppression. Battery surfaces must be cooled well below 265 degrees Fahrenheit before the fire can be considered stable.
Note that it’s critically important not to move a burned electric vehicle until it’s been fully cooled and stabilized. A car that appears extinguished may still harbor residual heat that can cause reignition later. Do not relocate the vehicle until multiple TIC readings confirm sustained cooling.
Traditional suppression agents like foam and dry chemical extinguishers are largely ineffective against lithium-ion fires. While these materials can help suppress secondary fires in passenger cabins or wheel wells, they don’t address the underlying problem of thermal runaway inside the battery compartments.
What about submersion?
In rare but severe cases, fire crews have resorted to vehicle submersion as a last resort when conventional cooling fails. Some departments have constructed large water tanks to completely immerse at-risk vehicles. Here are some important things to remember about this technique:
- Consider submersion only if the vehicle reignites repeatedly or access to the battery is completely obstructed.
- Plan this tactic in advance, including access to tanks and heavy equipment to place the vehicle into the tank along with coordination with environmental regulators if disposal becomes a concern.
What about EV quarantines?
Even after an EV fire is extinguished, the risk is not over. Vehicles must be isolated and monitored for an extended period to protect buildings, people and other vehicles from the possibility that an extinguished EV may reignite and cause further damage or harm.
- First, the vehicle should be towed to an isolated area — preferably at least 50 feet from any other vehicles or structures.
- Coordinate with tow operators who understand the hazards of moving fire-compromised battery systems.
- Continue thermal monitoring for at least 24 hours using TICs.
Be sure to document the vehicle’s condition and coordinate with salvage yards or insurers, who may require clearance before accepting an EV for storage.
Training, coordination and forward planning
Preparing for EV incidents involves more than just on-scene tactics. Ongoing training, inter-agency coordination, and familiarity with vehicle anatomy are vital to keeping firefighters safe and operations efficient.
Training should be dynamic and include both hands-on and classroom components:
- Incorporate EV-specific drills into your department’s annual training calendar. Focus on battery fire behavior, suppression methods, and thermal imaging.
- Review vehicle anatomy frequently. Battery locations and shutdown procedures vary widely between manufacturers and models.
- Utilize manufacturer resources such as the NFPA’s Emergency Response Guides, which offer free, regularly updated schematics and best practices for a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Interagency collaboration is another key element. Fire departments must be proactive in building relationships with those who may be involved in an EV incident’s aftermath. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Establish agreements with towing companies, salvage yards and recycling facilities to handle post-fire EV transport and storage.
- Coordinate with utility providers for guidance on high-voltage disconnection, especially in accidents involving damaged charging infrastructure or street power systems.
- Work with dealerships and automakers for training support and access to vehicle mock-ups or demonstration vehicles.
As battery chemistries evolve, staying informed is critical. Firefighters must be aware of the differences between traditional lithium-ion, solid-state and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. Each presents unique challenges in terms of flammability, cooling requirements and containment.
Finally, don’t overlook the importance of coordinating with law enforcement. EV fires — especially in urban environments or during periods of civil unrest — often require crowd management, traffic control and media communication. A few major considerations:
- Set up Unified Command early in the incident to ensure seamless coordination.
- Plan for street closures and evacuations if toxic smoke or secondary hazards pose additional risks.
- Deliver clear public messaging through public information officers (PIOs) and agency spokespeople to reinforce safety protocols and avoid panic.
By combining rigorous internal training with proactive external partnerships, departments can better manage the complexities of modern vehicle fires — before, during and after the call.
Safety first, always
Perhaps my most important message is this: Fighting EV fires requires a different mindset. Aggression must be tempered with awareness, tactics must be reevaluated and every responder must understand that the visible fire is only part of the danger. A seemingly stable vehicle may still harbor enough residual energy to explode into flame without warning. This means patience, precision and ongoing thermal monitoring are not luxuries — they are requirements.
The EV revolution is not coming, folks. It’s already here. With more electric vehicles on our roads every month, it’s inevitable that your department will face one of these incidents — on a freeway, in a garage, during a flood or amid civil unrest.
Finally, our relationship with law enforcement is critical. Coordinate closely and stay connected with our law enforcement partners. They have access to real-time intelligence and can offer crucial support in managing access, securing perimeters and protecting fire operations. Let’s look out for each other, stay vigilant and never forget that our shared mission of public safety.
The time to prepare is now. Dust off those training manuals, review your department’s protocols, inspect your equipment and reach out to your regional partners. Equip your people with the tools and the knowledge to respond safely and effectively.
Because when that call comes in — when smoke is pouring from a quiet electric sedan or a burning robotaxi — you won’t have time to guess. You’ll need to act, and act effectively. Your training is what will carry you through. Make sure it’s ready.
