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Overview

 

The Government of Canada has committed to increasing the proportion of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) by 2035 when 100% of all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada (estimated to be 2.0 million vehicles) will be zero emissions. This target has intermediate steps for 20% of sales to be ZEV in 2026 and 60% by 2030. In 2021 this segment made up 5.6% of the light duty vehicle market.

This rapid increase in ZEVs, mostly expected to be electric using large configurations of Lithium-Ion batteries, will significantly change fire service hazards and operations.  A trend to battery-electric vehicles is also seen in larger commuter buses and heavy delivery trucks. The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, through its Dangerous Goods Committee, will be working over the next year to curate a webpage with verifiable resources on electric vehicle response and fire suppression training, education, and information for use by fire departments across Canada.

 

Medium & Heavy-Duty Zero Emissions Vehicles: Assessment of Information and Training Available for the Fire Service.

 

The CAFC, in partnership with Transport Canada, has released a report which reviews selected research and educational initiatives that inform emergency response to electric vehicle or lithium-ion fires, with a focus on medium and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicles.

View the report here.

View the table of training resources here.

 

Public Education

• Stay safe with lithium-ion batteries - Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
• Public Advisory: Misuse or modification of lithium-ion batteries in e-mobility devices can be extremely dangerous
• Shipping and importing devices containing lithium batteries - Transport Canada
• Lithium-Ion Battery Safety - NFPA

NEW from Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety Program

 

Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety Program wants to inform you of the posting of “Lithium-ion batteries and consumer products that contain lithium-ion batteries” to Table 1 of the  General Prohibitions under the CCPSA. Posting to Table 1 signals Health Canada’s understanding that these consumer products pose hazards of concern. This is the first step towards determining whether mandatory rules for the manufacture, import, advertising and sale of lithium-ion batteries are required to help protect the health and safety of people in Canada. 

Policy Forward Session - Zero Emissions Technologies with Firefighting in Canada

 

The CAFC and Firefighting in Canada have hosted a Policy Forward Session on zero emissions technologies  (view the policy forward session here), to hear about gaps and concerns with the introduction of ZEVs for the fire service.

 

Educational Opportunities

• Symposium: Lithium-Ion Battery Symposium: Challenges for the Fire Service
• Guidebook: Guide for safe installations of home Battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS or BESS) by the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI.)
• Fire and Emergency Policy Forward Series: Zero Emissions Technologies
• The Evolving Opportunity in EV Battery Fire Protection Materials
• GM Battery Electric Vehicle First Responder Online Training.

 

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

• Battery Safety - Take Charge
• Science of Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries - Fire Safety Research Institute
• Fire Safety of Batteries and Electric Vehicles - Fire Safety Research Institute
  
• Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety Campaign Overview - Fire Safety Research Institute
  
• Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety Campaign Language - Fire Safety Research Institute
  
• Responding to Fires that Include Energy Storage Systems Using Lithium-ion Battery Technology are a New and Evolving Hazard - U.S Fire Administration
• Risks to Emergency Responders from High-Voltage, Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Addressed in Safety Report - National Transportation Safety

 

Recycling & Disposal

• Circularity and Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles — Standardization and Safety Requirements - CSA Group
  

 

Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Vehicles

• Emergency Response to Incident Involving Electric Vehicle Battery Hazards - NFPA
• Vehicle Emergency Response Guides - NFPA
  
• Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Quick Reference - Fire Service Edition
  
• Decarbonizing On Road Transportation: Transport Canada’s Zero Emission Trucking Program
• Zero-Emission Trucking / Testbed Stakeholder Engagement Workshop

 

Recharging of E-Mobility Devices

• Safety with E-Bikes and Scooters - NFPA
  

 

Scientific Papers

• Modern Vehicle Hazards in Parking Garages and Vehicle Carriers
• Toxic Gas Emissions from Damaged Lithium Ion Batteries—Analysis and Safety Enhancement Solution
• A review of lithium-ion battery safety concerns: The issues, strategies, and testing standards - ScienceDirect
• Demonstration of firefighting methodology for lithium-ion batteries - Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency

 

Technical

• Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo) battery
• Morrow Batteries Announces Significant Development Milestone With The Production of A-sample LFP Cells

 

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

• NFPA 855: Mobile Energy Storage Systems

 

Fire suppression

• Firefighters warn a Tesla fire is 'one of our worst nightmares'

 

Fires

• Safety Risks to Emergency Responders from Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in Electric Vehicles - IAFC
  

 

Fire Prevention

• Examining the Fire Safety Hazards of Lithium-ion Battery Powered e-Mobility Devices in Homes - FSRI
  

 

Fire Extinguishment and Overhaul

• First Due: Operational Considerations for Fires that Involve Lithium-ion Batteries - Firehouse

 

Fire Protection Research Foundation Projects/Reports on Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems

 

• Active Project : Landscape of Battery Energy Storage System Hazards & Mitigation Strategies (2021 – present)
• Firefighter safety for lithium-ion battery ESS: Explosion hazards from lithium-ion battery vent gas (2021)
• Modern Vehicle Hazards in Parking Structures and Vehicle Carriers (2020)
• Energy Storage System Research and Design Challenge  (2019)
• Sprinkler Protection Guidance for Lithium-Ion Based Energy Storage Systems  (2019)
• Hazard Assessment of Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems  (2016) 
• FPRF Workshop: Energy Storage Systems and the Built Environment  (2015)

In the News

• Halifax fire crews prepare for growing risks as municipality electrifies transit fleet (07/24/2025)
• E-bike battery fires: Some tips to help buyers avoid getting burned (07/09/2025)
• Lithium-ion battery fires jump 162% in Toronto over 2 years, city says (07/07/2025)
• EV safety questioned after deadly Tesla crash, battery fires (11/20/2024)
  
• Separating fact from fiction about EV battery fires (11/16/2024)
  
• The rising importance of battery safety in modern buildings and communities (11/07/2024)
  
• 4 killed in fiery electric vehicle crash in downtown Toronto (10/24/2024)
  
• Saskatoon fire says ‘use caution’ with lithium batteries after e-scooter sparks house fire (10/18/2024)
  
• Family dog starts house fire (08/12/2024)
  
• Ferry operator's ban on recalled EVs highlights need for more safety rules, experts say (07/25/2024)
• E-bike battery fire razes down part of Idaho Police Department building (06/30/2024)
• Father calls for e-bike safety after fatal fire (06/12/2024)
• Coroner urges government action over e-bike fires (06/28/2024)
• Fire officials warn about increase in lithium-ion battery fires (05/28/2024)
• Fire burns for five days at huge lithium-ion energy storage facility (05/20/2024)
• Battery fires a concern for Maritime departments as numbers grow (04/15/2024)
• Lithium-ion battery fires on the rise across Canada, fire chiefs warn (04/10/2024)
• US guardrail system can’t handle heavy EV’s, preliminary test crashes indicate  (01/30/2024)
• E-bike fire on TTC subway was 'rapid and intense,' Toronto Fire says. Here's how it erupted  (01/02/2024)
• After subway e-bike blaze, Toronto fire chief shares tips to avoid battery fires (01/02/2024)
• E-bike fire on Toronto subway sends 1 hospital; closes portion of Line 1 (12/31/2023)
• Toronto sees 72% jump in lithium-ion battery fires, but what’s being done to address safety? (10/24/2023)
• 4 dead after battery causes fire at New York City e-bike shop that spreads to apartments  (06/20/2023)
• United Firefighters Union Australia warns governments to address lithium-ion battery fire risks during electric vehicle crashes (03/11/2023)
• NYC legislation regarding refurbished batteries (03/02/2023)
• Union Concerns re Battery Fire Smoke (02/27/2023)
• FDNY requests CSPC Action
  • Article: FDNY Urges Feds to Take More Action Against e-Bike Batteries  (02/13/2023)
  • Article: NYC fire boss asks federal gov't to crack down on substandard lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes after fatal fires  (02/13/2023)

• Lithium-ion battery eyed in Brooklyn fire that critically injured woman  (02/14/2023)
• Battery fires have killed 11 New Yorkers since 2021  (02/11/2023)
• Fire officials sound alarm on dangers of lithium batteries after overnight fires  (01/26/2023)

 

Industry Announcements

• GM Electric Truck: Magna Wins Battery Enclosures Business on First-Ever Chevrolet Silverado EV
• Auto leaders call on Canada to take action on EV transition as U.S. cash flows
• New Flyer, the Canadian Tesla of public transit, looks to turn bus around