Safety experts are warning that complacency, rather than a lack of awareness, is increasingly behind lithium-ion battery fires in Victorian homes, as familiar charging habits lead people to underestimate the risks.

Energy Safe Victoria has launched its 2026 Before You Know It campaign, urging households to use the start of the year to reset everyday charging behaviours. The campaign follows 2025 research showing a clear gap between public awareness of battery risks and people’s perception of their own likelihood of being affected.

The research found that while two-thirds of e-bike and e-scooter owners understand that misusing batteries and chargers can cause serious incidents, fewer than half believe it is likely to happen to them.

“When something feels familiar, it’s easy to assume the worst won’t happen. Even though most people know that lithium-ion battery fires can happen, that moment of assuming that it won’t happen to you can have a powerful impact on safety at home,” Energy Safe Victoria chief executive Leanne Hughson says.

As devices received over the Christmas period become part of daily routines, Energy Safe Victoria says risky charging behaviours can start to creep in. One in five e-ride owners use a generic or mismatched charger, increasing the risk of overheating and battery failure. More than a third charge their device indoors, where a fire can spread quickly before it can be controlled.

Victorian fire agencies attend almost one lithium-ion battery-related fire every day. Energy Safe Victoria’s 2025 data shows that around half of these incidents occur in apartments and houses.

In most cases, charging and thermal runaway were identified as the primary cause. More than a third of incidents occurred between January and March, highlighting the heightened risk as new year routines settle.

“These fires don’t usually happen because someone deliberately ignores safety advice. They happen when everyday shortcuts creep in, like charging overnight or using the wrong charger, and people assume nothing will go wrong,” Leanne says.

The Before You Know It campaign highlights how quickly lithium-ion battery fires can start and promotes simple actions to significantly reduce risk. These include buying reputable brands from trusted retailers and checking for the regulatory compliance mark, only using batteries and chargers approved by the manufacturer, avoiding unattended or overnight charging, keeping devices away from bedrooms and exits and stopping use of batteries that are damaged, swollen or overheating.

“The new year is the perfect time to reset your charging habits. When it comes to lithium-ion batteries, underestimating the danger can turn an everyday routine into a serious fire before you know it,” Leanna says.