Extremely flammable lithium-ion batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles complicate the efforts of cleaning in the Los Angeles district fire damage.
The phase of federal cleansing is underway, because surveyors with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work to remove and disposal dangerous materials, including lithium-ion batteries located in carbon vehicles and decimated houses. EPA warned that batteries should be considered “extremely dangerous”, even if it is believed that they are intact and “can spontaneously restore, explode and broadcast toxic gases and particles even after the fire comes out.”
Palisade and It is estimated that Eaton fires will then demand the “biggest lithium-ion battery picip, cleaning, this has ever happened in the history of the world,” said EPA Calano incident commander allegedly for local KNBC. He explained that the removal of lithium-ion batteries and those that do not seem to be damaged-the fire wreck requires “technical sophistication and care”, because the crews of dangerous materials find and deionize the batteries so that they can be demolished or safely shipped to disposal.
“We do not know the long -term effects all this exposure, and we have not seen this to this great extent and to many electric vehicles,” Captain Los Angeles City Fire told KNBC. “This is an unprecedented amount of electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries there.”
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A car destroyed by the Eaton fire is designated as a non -electric vehicle and does not contain a large EV battery 29, 2025, in Altadeni, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)
According to the California Energy Commission, more than 99,000 zero vehicles were sold only in Los Angeles County, only 2024, including electric vehicles with electric hybrids and electric vehicles.
Tesla Models Y, 3 and Cybertruck were the first three sellers of the zero-emission saleswoman sold in Los Angeles County last year, according to an internet number of commissions.
Authorities warn that residual heat is a danger to days, weeks and even several months after the initial fires, which potentially causes spontaneous combustion of lithium-ion batteries.
“With lithium-ion batteries, even if they look as if they were intact, they could have damage from the inside, so they continue to exclude gas, and outside the gas from these batteries can be toxic to your health,” Vangerpen said.
In addition to electrical and hybrid vehicles, lithium-ion batteries can be found in personal electronics, crying devices, electricity tools and home energy storage systems, which have become more popular during the Californian power gentle disappearance.
Burned vehicles at the Altaden automatic center after Eaton fire in Altadeni, California, January 20, 2025. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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President Donald Trump visited the Palisades Fire Burn area on Friday. Its executive command issued on the same day Provide water resources In California and improve the response to the disaster, it will allow EPA “to complete its mission of dangerous materials that responded to Los Angeles, California, which is practically before,” the EPA statement said on Monday. “EPA -E -EPA Removal of dangerous materials is a phase 1 federal response for cleaning.”
“According to EPA Incident commander, there will be an increase of 1,000 people who worked to clean the first phase by this weekend, “The statement continued.” This work, spent without any costs for residents, is a mandatory procedure to ensure the safety of residents and workers who want – after hazardous material disappears – carry out the removal of phase 2 debris in the burn prints and to prevent these materials to be released into the environment. ”
Some of thousands of homes destroyed by Eaton fire, January 29, 2025 in Altadeni, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)
Phase 2, which starts automatically after the end of phase 1, will include removal of debris and coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
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“Under the guidance of President Trump, the EPA is doing everything in our power to accelerate the cleansing of dangerous debris and help Californians in a safer approach to their property as soon as possible,” Deputy Administrator EPA Chad McIntosh said in a statement. “With the executive order of President Trump, he approved the entire response of the Government to the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles – an effort he has never been seen before. EPA cooperates with local, state and federal partners with the private sector to help in recovery of California.”
