"Stop a fire by preventing it series"
Home fires can be devastating. Licks of flame do more than consume fuel and oxygen. They consume homes, valuables, and the cherished memories they hold. However, it’s in your power to help prevent the devastation. Follow along with our “Stop a fire by preventing it” series including this blog and “Fire safety for your home” <insert blog link>, “A recipe for preventing cooking fires”<insert blog link>, and “Warming up to home heating safety” <insert link> to discover the ways you can keep you, your home, and your family safe.
Lithium-ion fire facts
As more lithium-ion battery powered devices enter our home, it is increasingly more important that Canadians pay attention and understand safe charging practices. According to a Global News story, Toronto alone has seen lithium-ion fires rise 210% from 2022 to 2025. Canadians need to pay greater attention to our lithium-ion charging as we bring more devices into our home.
How do lithium-ion battery fires start
Most lithium-ion fires in the home start with what’s called “Thermal Runaway”. According to experts, the battery can overheat, causing the protective layers within the battery to break down. The heat causes liquid in the battery to become a gas, ultimately leading to a chain reaction that leads to a flame, an explosion, or both. The event can happen in a matter of minutes or even seconds.
What causes “Thermal Runaway”?
Some of the ways Lithium-ion batteries can begin to overheat are because of overcharging, charging with unapproved charging cords, physical damage to the battery, exposing the battery to high heat or poorly vented areas, internal damage or ageing, or chemical instability within the battery.
How to prevent or minimize the risk of lithium-ion battery fires
According to the Government of Canada, the following practices are recommended:
- Only buy devices and batteries that have been tested by a nationally recognized testing lab like UL or CSA.
- Do not purchase counterfeit or off-brand chargers and batteries.
- Use the chargers that came with the device or battery.
- Charge on a flat, hard surface to allow heat ventilation and dispersion.
- Charge at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
- Keep your device or battery away from flammable material when charging.
- Unplug your batteries or device once fully charged and never leave a battery charging indefinitely.
- Never throw your lithium-ion batteries in the trash or recycling bin. Take them to a designated battery recycling center.
- Regularly inspect your charger and lithium-ion batteries for damage or malfunction. Stop using them and only replace them with chargers or batteries that are approved by the manufacturer of your device.
Look out for the warning signs and stop using your device if the battery:
- smells strange
- feels hot
- swells or bulges
- makes popping or hissing sounds
If you notice these warning signs:
- Unplug the charger immediately.
- Move the device to a safe location on concrete stone or ceramic away from flammable materials and in a well-ventilated area.
- Monitor the device from a safe location.
- Once it’s safe, the battery should be disposed of at an approved recycling facility.
Every day, most of us plug in some sort of lithium-ion battery powered device. We do it out of habit and without much thought. That’s why it’s important to establish safe behaviours to ensure that we minimize the fire risk that comes from lithium-ion batteries.
