Burning Teslas add to toxic pollution delaying L.A. return

financialpost.com:

As the smoke clears from devastating Los Angeles wildfires, efforts to clean up the affected areas are being complicated by burnt-out electric and hybrid vehicles and home-battery storage systems.

Lithium batteries from Tesla Inc., along with those from other carmakers, have added to the mix of toxic materials requiring specialized removal in the wake of the fires. They will delay the fire victims’ return to their properties.

“A lot of the cars in the evacuation area were lithium batteries,” said Jacqui Irwin, a state assembly member representing the Pacific Palisades, one of the neighbourhoods hardest hit by the fires. “We’ve heard from firefighters that those lithium batteries burned fires near homes – like those with power walls – for much longer.”

The L.A. wildfires, which began Jan. 7, have taken at least 27 lives and destroyed thousands of homes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already allocated US$100 million to the cleanup efforts.

There were over 431,000 Teslas in operation in the Los Angeles area as of October 2024, according to data from S&P Global Mobility. Based on new registrations, their market share locally was three times that of the rest of the nation. The Tesla Model Y was the biggest-selling vehicle in the state through September, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.

Fires in lithium batteries can require large amounts of water to put out. Automakers publish guides for first responders detailing how to respond.

In some Palisades and Eaton fire areas, residents who had been under evacuation orders were allowed to return to their homes Thursday. But others whose homes were destroyed or are in areas of heavy fire damage will have to wait until utilities and structures are