Australia's Fastest Growing Home Fire Risk — And What EV Owners Need to Do About It
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Electric vehicles, e-bikes, and e-scooters are transforming how Australians get around. But as lithium-ion battery technology becomes part of everyday life, fire agencies across the country are raising urgent alarms about a risk most people don't see coming.
The Numbers Are Getting Worse — Fast
The statistics are hard to ignore:
- NSW recorded 323 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, up from 272 in 2023 and 165 in 2022 — with Fire and Rescue NSW responding to 5.7 battery fires every week. (Source: Fire and Rescue NSW)
- In Western Australia, lithium-ion batteries caused a fire almost every second day in 2024, the worst year on record. (Source: Consumer Protection WA)
- In South Australia, MFS callouts to lithium-ion battery fires have increased nearly ten-fold in five years, with e-bikes and e-scooters the leading cause. In the first half of 2025 alone, they already responded to more than half of the entire previous year's total. (Source: SA Premier's Office / Consumer and Business Services SA, July 2025)
- People are four times more likely to be injured in a lithium-ion battery fire compared to other fire types. (Source: Fire and Rescue NSW, 2025)
- Insurer Suncorp reported that home insurance claims above $500,000 involving lithium-ion ignition sources have doubled over five years — from 9% to 18% — with April–May 2025 recording the highest value of fire claims on record. (Source: Suncorp Financial Reporting, August 2025)
- The ACCC estimates the average Australian household will contain 33 devices with lithium-ion batteries by 2026. (Source: ACCC via ESS News, 2025)
Why These Fires Are So Different
Standard fire extinguishers were simply not built for this. According to CSIRO battery expert Dr Adam Best, when a lithium-ion battery fails it can undergo thermal runaway a chain reaction that cannot be stopped once it starts. Temperatures can exceed 1,000°C, releasing toxic gases including hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide. (Source: CSIRO, 2025)
Critically, batteries don't even need to be charging to catch fire. Poor manufacturing, physical damage, excessive heat, or incompatible chargers are all triggers.
When Is the Risk Highest?
Around 18% of EV and e-bike fires occur during charging, with another 2% happening shortly after disconnecting — meaning the most dangerous window is often when you're asleep at home.
What You Can Do Right Now
Being prepared doesn't require a major overhaul — just the right equipment:
- EV Fire Extinguisher — Specifically designed for lithium-ion battery fires. Standard extinguishers won't work.
- EV Fire Blanket — Quickly contains a fire before it spreads to your home or garage.
- Lithium-Ion Battery Containment Bag — A safe barrier during charging, especially overnight.
From February 2025, NSW introduced new regulations requiring e-micromobility devices to comply with updated safety standards — governments are acting. You should too.
Be Future-Ready
Lithium-ion battery fires are a growing weekly reality across every Australian state. The right equipment — specifically designed for EV and lithium-ion fires — can be the difference between a contained incident and a total loss.
At EV Fire Solutions, we supply purpose-built fire safety equipment with free shipping Australia-wide.
Sources
- Fire and Rescue NSW — Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Statistics 2024
- Consumer Protection WA — Commissioner's Blog: Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries
- SA Premier's Office — Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Spike Sparks New Campaign (July 2025)
- Consumer and Business Services SA — Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Campaign
- StoreMasta / FRNSW — Firefighters Battle Growing Lithium Battery Crisis (March 2025)
- CSIRO — Expert Commentary: Lithium-Ion Batteries (2025)
- Suncorp / ESS News — Insurer Flags Rising Home Fire Costs (August 2025)