Lithium batteries must have some charge, otherwise they break down chemically. Typically, it's around 40-50% charge, but varies with the exact chemistry of the battery.
And, yes, higher charge means more violent reaction to fire and being punctured for most lithium battery chemistries.
I'm not sure about other chemistries, like NiMH and sodium, that have been used in EVs. But lithium is the most popular.