How to stay safe in a fire emergency? It all comes down to preparation.

The disaster of a major fire has hit close to home this week, now that the lithium ion battery plant owned by Vistra Energy is burning, with no timeline as of Friday, Jan. 17 as to when it will be extinguished. The fire started around 3pm Thursday, Jan. 16.

When a disaster strikes, such as a wildfire or toxic blaze, how can residents remain safe? 

In the case of a lithium battery fire, like what is happening at the Vistra site, the main concern is the possible release of hydrogen fluoride, a highly toxic gas that can cause serious harm if anyone comes into direct contact with it or inhales it as it drifts through the air.

Out of an abundance of caution, county officials at first warned people immediately near the plant to close their windows and doors and turn off ventilation systems.

When it became clear the fire was not going to be controlled, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations, impacting over 1,200 residents in surrounding areas covering 7,600 acres of land, according to County of Monterey spokesperson Nick Pasculli, speaking at a press conference in Castroville on Thursday morning.

Officials said that preliminary air monitoring reports did not show that hydrogen fluoride was released, however until they have more sensitive equipment brought in for further testing they are not rescinding the evacuation order.

In the meantime, smoke remains a health concern. The county issued an alert to other areas of North Monterey County, advising that people limit outdoor activities, remain indoors, keep windows and doors closed and adjust central air systems to recirculate indoor air or close outdoor air intakes to avoid drawing int smoky air. 

People who are especially sensitive to smoke should take cautionary steps, including young children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with respiratory and heart conditions. They may want to wear a N95 mask. (Such masks will protect against smoke, but not toxic gas, which would require a respirator face mask.)

For up-to-date information about air quality, visit the Monterey Bay Air Resources District website at mbard.org.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and other government agencies, the best way to stay safe in a situation like a fire releasing toxic gas is exactly the protocol county officials followed in the Vistra fire, depending on the severity. Either stay inside and shut all doors and windows or evacuate the impacted area.

Which brings up what’s been talked about a lot since the fires in Los Angeles, having a plan and a go bag in case of emergencies.

“The tried and true, of course, is to register for community alerts, build a kit, make a plan,” said Kelsey Scanlon, the County’s director of emergency management, during the press conference. She said it in the context of advocating for a cultural paradigm shift toward seeing responding to emergencies as a “team effort” between government, nonprofits and the public.

You can find out more about how to register for alerts, put together go bags and develop emergency plans at readymontereycounty.org/prepare.

The County of Monterey also has a warm line at 831-769-8700 for questions or concerns.

The dangers of lithium batteries are not limited to a large-scale plant like Vistra’s, reportedly the largest battery storage plant in the world. Everyday lithium batteries in many consumer products can turn dangerous and even lethal.

For more information on what to do if you experience a lithium battery explosion or fire in the home or workplace—and to learn more about hydrogen fluoride—visit the CDC’s hydrogen fluoride chemical factsheet, found here.