When a lithium-ion battery catches fire, the window between a manageable situation and a catastrophic one is terrifyingly small. These fires burn at extreme temperatures — often exceeding 1,000°C — produce thick, toxic gas, and can spread to surrounding structures within minutes. In the critical early moments of a battery fire, an EV fire blanket can be the difference between containment and total loss.

What Makes EV Fire Blankets Different

An EV fire blanket is not the small kitchen blanket hanging on your pantry wall. Purpose-built EV fire blankets are engineered from high-temperature resistant materials designed to withstand the extreme heat output of a lithium-ion battery in thermal runaway. They come in a range of sizes — from compact 2m × 2m blankets for e-bikes and e-scooters, right up to 6m × 8m car-sized blankets built to cover an entire electric vehicle.

In strata buildings and underground car parks — where a fire in one vehicle can quickly threaten an entire structure — that containment time is critical.

Why Blankets Matter More Than Ever in Australian Apartments

Two major trends are converging to create an urgent need for EV fire blankets in apartment buildings.

EV adoption is accelerating rapidly. March 2026 saw a record number of battery-electric vehicles sold in Australia, capturing 14.6% of the total new car market — nearly double the share from March 2025. BYD climbed to the third best-selling car brand in the country, and order backlogs for popular models stretch months ahead.

At the same time, strata law reforms are making it easier than ever to install EV chargers in apartment buildings. NSW strata reforms effective from July 2025 now classify EV charging as "Sustainability Infrastructure," meaning installations only require a simple majority vote. Owners corporations can no longer reject charger installations purely on aesthetic grounds. Melbourne's Sierra Hawthorn building made headlines in March 2026 as Australia's largest EV-enabled apartment building, with 252 charge points installed across the complex as part of ARENA's $4.7 million strata EV adoption program.

More EVs in apartment car parks means more lithium-ion batteries charging in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces, often directly beneath residential floors. Traditional building fire systems were not specifically designed for the unique behaviour of battery fires.

The Queensland Wake-Up Call

In NSW, Fire and Rescue recorded lithium-ion battery fire incidents at a rate of nearly six per week in 2024, with the total reaching 323 for the year. Four separate e-bike and e-scooter fires occurred in a single 12-hour period across Sydney in early February 2025, underscoring just how rapidly these incidents are happening.

How to Deploy an EV Fire Blanket

Using an EV fire blanket doesn't require specialist training, which is part of what makes it so valuable as a first-response tool.

For an e-bike, e-scooter, or small device fire: pull the blanket from its storage bag, hold it in front of you as a heat shield, and drape it completely over the burning device. Stand upwind if possible and avoid breathing the smoke — lithium battery fires produce hydrogen fluoride and other toxic compounds.

For a vehicle fire in a car park, the larger 6m × 8m blankets are designed to be deployed over the entire vehicle. The goal isn't to fully extinguish the fire — that's a job for fire services — but to contain it, reduce toxic gas spread, and prevent the fire from reaching adjacent vehicles or building structures.

Once deployed, evacuate the area immediately and call 000. Do not attempt to remove the blanket or check underneath it. Lithium-ion fires can reignite unpredictably, and the temperatures beneath the blanket will remain extremely dangerous.

Where to Position EV Fire Blankets

Strategic placement is essential. For homeowners with e-bikes or e-scooters, keep a compact fire blanket in the same area where you charge — ideally near the exit so you can grab it on your way to respond, or on your way out. For strata buildings and commercial car parks, blankets should be mounted in clearly labelled, easily accessible locations near EV charging stations, similar to how traditional fire extinguishers are positioned near exits and high-risk areas.

For fleet operators and facility managers, pairing fire blankets with purpose-built lithium-ion extinguishers provides a comprehensive first-response capability. The extinguisher addresses the active flames and heat, while the blanket provides containment and limits the fire's spread.