On Friday, August 8, 2025, the North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD) responded to a residential fire in Fallbrook caused by a lithium-ion (“Li-ion”) solar backup battery. The blaze, which was contained through extensive firefighting efforts, highlighted the potential dangers of thermal runaway events in lithium-ion batteries.
The incident took place on Avowood Ct. in Fallbrook, where a solar backup battery, designed to store energy generated by solar panels during the day for evening use, experienced a thermal runaway—a dangerous reaction in which the battery overheats uncontrollably, often leading to a fire.
“We had to use several thousand gallons of water to stop the thermal runaway event,” said
Captain John Choi of the North County Fire Protection District. “It’
