Approximately 31 abandoned electric vehicles were discovered by Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) during the Ukumehame MM13.5 Wildfire Risk Reduction Project which included the removal and mastication of vegetation in order to mitigate the risk of wildfire in the area. Electric vehicle batteries that are damaged and/or are not stored or handled properly, are at risk of catastrophic and often spontaneous failure. These batteries pose risks of fire, explosion and the release of hazardous substances including but not limited to: nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum, copper, iron, VOCs, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen gas, corrosive liquids and gasses, carbon monoxide and combustion biproducts.
The Ukumehame area, as is much of West Maui, is prone to wildfires driven by dry conditions and available fuel provided by scrub and vegetation. Such a wildfire could involve, or be caused by, an unintended thermal runaway event due to the improper storage, use, and/or abandonment of electric vehicles which were discovered by MEMA personnel during the wildfire risk reduction project on-site operations.
