When exposed to high heat, lithium batteries like those in Tesla's can burn for a long time and require significant water to extinguish.

The Palisades fire wreaked significant havoc on the nearby city of Malibu. In an interview, Mayor Doug Stewart said that the state has taken charge of debris removal efforts, praising its effective management of the cleanup after the 2018 Woolsey fire, but the process of building back is a long one.

As the smoke clears from devastating Los Angeles wildfires, efforts to clean up the affected areas are being complicated by burnt-out electric and hybrid vehicles and home-battery storage systems.

Efforts to cleanup areas of LA devastated by wildfires are being delayed by burning Teslas and other electric cars emitting toxic fumes. The vehicles have lithium-ion batteries that when burned release harmful gases and toxic chemicals into the air that can cause serious health issues.