When a massive fire erupted at one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage facilities in Monterey County, it didn't just send a toxic plume of smoke over nearby communities — it cast a shadow of doubt over the future of California's clean energy industry.

Officers tried to get into the vehicle to save the driver, but "due to the intensity of the flames and heat, they were unable to rescue the occupant," the department said.

California wildfire cleanup is complicated by highly combustible lithium-ion batteries found in electric and hybrid vehicles popular in Los Angeles County.

The massive fire at one of the world's largest lithium battery storage plants in Northern California has shaken a local community worried about possible long-term impacts and brought scrutiny to the emerging industry's safety practices.

A fire at the world’s largest battery storage plant in Northern California is smoldering after sending plumes of toxic smoke into the atmosphere.

The CPUC will vote on a proposal adopting new safety standards for the maintenance and operation of battery energy storage systems.

Renewable energy advocates have long called for building battery complexes to store intermittent solar and wind energy, but a recent fire that spewed toxic heavy metals

Nearly two weeks after the Eaton fire forced Claire Robinson to flee her Altadena home, she returned, donning a white hazmat suit, a respirator and goggles.

At Wednesday afternoon’s County of Monterey briefing, Ricardo Encarnacion, bureau chief and County of Monterey director of environmental health, said that the county and its partners, the

The Morro Bay City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to pause the city’s ability to process new battery plant development permits for the next 45 days. The ordinance said battery energy storage systems pose an immediate risk to public safety, as the facilities are vulnerable to fires and explosions.

In the wake of a spate of fires at battery storage facilities across the state, the California Public Utilities Commission will soon vote on establishing new standards for maintaining and operating them. If passed, the proposal also increases oversight for emergency response at energy storage sites that use batteries.