Flaming Teslas Fuel Pollution Issues, Impeding LA's Recovery Efforts -

As the smoke clears from the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, cleanup efforts are facing significant hurdles due to the presence of burnt electric and hybrid vehicles, along with home-battery storage systems.

The existence of lithium batteries from Tesla and other manufacturers has added to the list of hazardous materials that require specialized removal following the fires, complicating the process of allowing fire victims to return to their homes.

“Many cars within the evacuation zone were equipped with lithium batteries,” noted Jacqui Irwin, a state assembly member representing the Pacific Palisades, one of the regions hardest hit by the fires. “Firefighters have reported that these lithium batteries sparked fires near homes, particularly those with power walls, which lasted much longer than expected.”

The wildfires in LA, which started on January 7, have resulted in at least 27 fatalities and the destruction of thousands of homes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $100 million to assist with the cleanup efforts.

As of October 2024, there were over 431,000 Teslas operating in the Los Angeles area, according to data from S&P Global Mobility. Their market share locally was three times that of the national average, based on new registrations. The Tesla Model Y was the top-selling vehicle in the state through September, as per the California New Car Dealers Association.

Extinguishing fires in lithium batteries may require large volumes of water. Automakers provide guidelines for first responders on how to manage such incidents.

In certain parts of Palisades and Eaton, residents who were previously under evacuation orders were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday. However, those whose homes were either destroyed or located in severely damaged areas will need to wait until utility and structural safety evaluations are completed before they can retrieve personal belongings or assess damage.

During a briefing on Wednesday, Cid Tesoro, Deputy Public Works Director of the county, cautioned residents returning to Eaton fire-impacted areas against attempting debris cleanup, citing the risk posed by sharp objects and hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, mercury, and other chemicals.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is cognizant of these complications. In an executive order issued this week, he emphasized that the state is “still adapting to newer technologies” like lithium-ion batteries, which pose unique risks when exposed to extreme heat from fires. Two years earlier, Newsom had signed an executive order requiring all vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035.

San Diego firefighter Robert Rezende, an expert on lithium-battery risks who will assist in the cleanup, mentioned that protocols developed during the 2023 Maui fires would be applied in Los Angeles. However, he pointed out that the magnitude of this incident and its associated dangers are significantly greater.

“The state has faced other wildfires, but not on this scale of urban impact, where so many neighborhoods and structures are affected, resulting in a dense concentration of electric vehicles and energy storage systems,” Rezende stated. “We are gearing up for a substantial task ahead.”

In Maui, the Environmental Protection Agency managed the recycling of over 30 tons of lithium batteries from more than 1,400 properties.

The initial phase of the cleanup focuses on removing materials that pose the highest risks to public health, according to Tara Fitzgerald, an incident commander with the agency. This encompasses pesticides, batteries, fuels, and other substances typically classified as hazardous household waste.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an order prohibiting unsafe debris removal, highlighting “substantial” risks to human health and the environment associated with improper waste handling. Independent debris cleanup is banned without an inspection from authorized agencies, including the EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

“Burning construction materials like siding, roofing tiles, and insulation can generate hazardous ash that contains asbestos, heavy metals, and other toxic substances,” the health department stated. “Households and businesses may have harbored hazardous materials such as paint, gasoline, cleaning products, pesticides, compressed gas cylinders, and chemicals that could have ignited or been released during the fire.”

The Palisades fire has left significant damage in the neighboring city of Malibu. Mayor Doug Stewart commented in an interview that the state is overseeing debris removal efforts and has effectively managed cleanup operations after the Woolsey fire in 2018, which destroyed 1,600 structures. The Palisades fire has now resulted in the destruction or damage of more than double that number.

The rebuilding process will be lengthy. Six years after the Woolsey fire, only 182 of the 363 single-family homes approved for rebuilding had reached completion.

A large portion of the city remains under evacuation orders and is still without power. Building inspectors are conducting rapid visual assessments of damaged properties and are currently 35% complete, according to information from Malibu’s official website. Stewart expressed concern that toxins from burned homes could contaminate the beaches and ocean when the rainy season arrives.

“We have an obligation to protect the environment,” he remarked. “A beautiful day in Malibu is what draws us here and makes life so idyllic. That is precisely what we need to protect.”

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