A major La Verne fire continues to affect the community Thursday, September 24, 2026, after a lithium-ion battery storage fire erupted at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's F.E. Weymouth Water Treatment Plant.
The original fire began around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday at a battery energy storage system near a solar panel field at the facility on Wheeler Avenue. Firefighters responding to the incident reported a small explosion inside one of the battery-storage units.
Although the initial flames have subsided, officials continue to treat the situation as a potential hazard because lithium-ion batteries can retain heat and experience renewed temperature spikes. Fire crews are continuing to apply water to two battery-storage units while monitoring their temperatures. Officials say the cooling and stabilization process could take several days.
More than 500 homes remain under mandatory evacuation orders in the area surrounding the facility. The evacuation zone is generally bounded by Moreno Avenue, Foothill Boulevard, B Street and several streets to the south. Police have conducted door-to-door notifications and continue patrolling the affected area.
Officials are also monitoring air quality around the facility. Current monitoring has identified low-level air-quality impacts associated with the incident, but authorities have reported that no hazardous air conditions have been detected off the property at the latest update.
The incident has resulted in local closures. Grace Miller Elementary School and Pelota Park remain closed, while the University of La Verne, which was temporarily closed following the fire, has reopened.
One civilian suffered minor injuries during the initial incident and was transported to a local hospital, according to fire officials. No firefighters were reported injured.
The Metropolitan Water District has said the fire has not affected the safety of the regional water supply, and officials continue to state that water remains safe to drink.
Additional lithium-battery experts are expected to evaluate the affected units and help determine the cause of the incident. Authorities say the batteries cannot be safely dismantled until they are fully de-energized and no longer producing hazardous heat or vapors.
Residents should remain outside the evacuation area until officials announce that it is safe to return. This remains a developing situation, with emergency crews continuing to monitor the battery units and work toward safely resolving the incident.
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