LAFD warns lithium‑ion incidents rising; seeks hazmat staffing, new tools and budgeted positions

Captain Rich Thompson, a Hazmat officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department, told the City of Los Angeles Public Safety Committee on Sept. 17 that the department has seen a doubling of lithium‑ion battery incidents this year and is asking the city to fund more specialized staffing and equipment to respond to fires involving electric vehicles, e‑mobility devices and battery storage systems.

Thompson said the department’s Hazmat teams now use multi‑gas meters, photoionization detectors, advanced thermal imagers, specialized battery extraction tools and fire‑resistant containers to remove and secure burning batteries. “Sometimes… the safest practice and the best practice is to let it fully burn itself out,” Thompson said, describing cases in which lithium‑ion batteries repeatedly rekindle even after firefighting efforts.

The department’s report, requested by Councilmember Rodriguez, notes state and local shifts that will increase battery‑related incidents, including California regulations and local electrification efforts at the Port of Los Angeles and LA Metro. The report describes expected growth in zero‑emission vehicles statewide and recommends fully staffing Hazmat 87 and Hazmat 48, creating a battalion‑level flex response vehicle equipped for alternative fuels, expanding the LAFD’s CUPA (hazardous materials inspection) unit, and making current grant‑funded positions permanent within the LAFD budget.

Why it matters: The department told the committee that current firefighting tactics and resources are strained by the new risks from batteries and other alternative fuels. Thompson said available extinguishing tools and commercially available mitigation devices are developing but not yet widely effective; the department is testing equipment and urging ongoing training and interagency coordination.

Committee discussion and follow up: Committee members pressed the department on operational implications. A committee member asked whether battery fires must simply burn out; Thompson confirmed they can require large volumes of water and can rekindle after apparent extinguishment. Captain Thompson said LAFD already partners with port operators and other agencies on storage and handling protocols and participates in advisory groups working on hydrogen and other fuel safety. Assistant Fire Marshal Christine Larson told the committee the City already enforces a strict brush code, but that the new regulatory overlays will increase the number of parcels subject to review and enforcement workload.

Action: The committee voted to note and file the LAFD report and asked the department to include a prioritized list of requested positions and equipment in the city’s 2026–27 budget submittal. The clerk recorded five yes votes and the item was noted and filed.

What the report says about numbers and sources: Thompson told the committee LAFD has experienced a roughly 100% increase in lithium‑ion incidents this year compared with last year. The report cites California legislative and code changes (including the 2024 International Fire Code provisions to be adopted locally in 2026) and references testing standards for battery safety (UL test standards listed in the report). The presentation also described the variety of alternative fuels and devices already in the city’s environment — compressed natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, battery electric vehicles, liquefied petroleum systems, powerwalls and micromobility batteries — and cautioned that emerging technologies (solid‑state batteries and other chemistries) may change risks further.

Looking ahead: The committee requested the LAFD to return with steps needed to implement relevant recommendations and incorporate the prioritized staffing and equipment requests in the department’s upcoming budget package.