Fire Safety Week 2025: Minimizing fire risk from lithium-ion batteries.

Key Takeaways:

October 5 to October 11 2025 is Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home”.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can be found in common electronics like cellphones, laptops, baby monitors, toys and power tools.  While these devices are useful in our daily lives, it’s important to know how to use, store and charge them safely.

Ontario Fire Marshall’s tips for staying fire-safe around lithium-ion batteries:

• Always follow manufacturer’s instructions for the use, charging, storage and disposal of lithium-ion batteries.
• Always use the charger and battery that came with the device — never substitute batteries with uncertified or off-brand alternatives. Devices and their batteries are engineered to work together. Substituting uncertified chargers or third-party batteries undermines these safety designs and dramatically increases the risk of failure.
• Unplug devices once they are fully charged and avoid charging overnight or while unattended.
• Never modify or tamper with lithium-ion batteries — and never attempt to build your own.
• Protect batteries from physical damage (punctures, crushing, or water exposure).
• Do not leave devices in the rain or snow.
• Recycle batteries at approved drop-off locations. Never put them in household garbage or blue bins.

Enova also recommends you watch for counterfeit or discount electronics that don’t conform to Canada’s safety standards. Always check for certification marks, such as CSA, cUL, or cETL, before purchasing or using electronic devices. Find a full list of recognized approval marks here.

Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Enova, and that means ensuring you handle all your electronic devices safely  

For information on how to prevent electrical fire hazards visit enovapower.com/homesafety.