PORTLAND, Ore—

As the summer travel season approaches, the Portland International Airport fire department urges travelers to know how to properly store and transport lithium batteries found in common travel items such as laptops and e-cigarettes.

Lithium batteries continue to make national news in events involving smoke, fire, extreme heat or explosion. As of April 1, 2019, the FAA counts 254 air/airport incidents involving lithium batteries.PDX has had four reported incidents involving lithium batteries in the airport over past few years. Three incidents involved loose batteries; one incident was associated with an e-cigarette malfunction. Proper storage of loose lithium batteries is important when trave No loose batteries may be in checked luggage. FAA regulations dictate what types and quantities of batteries may be carried onto an airplane.