Florida’s Top Fire Marshal Warns ‘Tons’ of Waterlogged Electric Vehicles Catching Fire After Hurricane Ian

In this aerial view, a man tows a canoe through a flooded street of his neighborhood in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Firefighters in Florida are dealing with a new challenge in the wake of Hurricane Ian—waterlogged electric vehicle (EV) batteries erupting in flames.

Florida’s chief financial officer and state fire marshal, Jimmy Patronis, took to Twitter on Oct. 6 to warn of the increased numbers of incidents in which electric vehicle batteries have corroded amid the storm, prompting fires to begin.