From electric vehicles and e-bikes to grid-scale energy storage systems, lithium-ion batteries are becoming central to modern life. But as governments and industries accelerate the shift toward electrification, fire services and safety regulators are confronting a growing problem: lithium-ion battery fires are increasing in frequency, are notoriously difficult to extinguish and are exposing the limitations of existing firefighting technologies. In cities including London, New York City, and Seoul, officials have reported rising numbers of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, particularly from e-bikes and electric scooters. Large-scale battery storage fires have also triggered evacuations and environmental concerns in several countries over the past decade, raising questions about whether safety infrastructure is keeping pace with the rapid adoption of battery-powered technologies. Unlike conventional fires, lithium-ion battery fires can burn at extremely high temperatures, reignite hours after appearing extinguished and release toxic gases during combustion. Firefighters often require vast quantities of water to cool battery cells and stop thermal runaway, the chain reaction that occurs when overheating spreads from one cell to another. At the same time, growing …