TOXIC WASTE

L.A.’s Comeback Delayed by Toxic Fumes From Burning Teslas

Last year, the Tesla Model Y was the most popular car among L.A. buyers through September.

Toxic fumes released by Tesla vehicles and other electric cars which have burned in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires are hindering cleanup efforts in the area. Jacqui Irwin, a state assembly member representing the Pacific Palisades, told Bloomberg that many of the cars in the evacuation zone have lithium batteries which require special removal. When burned, they release harmful gases and toxic chemicals which can cause severe health issues such as lung and eye damage and skin burns. “We’ve heard from firefighters that those lithium batteries burned fires near homes—like those with power walls—for much longer.” Fire victims will have to wait longer to return to their properties, the publication reported. Lithium battery fires can take up to 40 times longer to extinguish than standard car fires, The Conversation reported. The ferocious wind-fueled wildfires which erupted in Los Angeles have claimed the lives of at least 27 people, forced thousands of resident to flee, and have caused tens of billions of dollars in damage so far. The cause of the fires remain unknown.