VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OF HOME. IT WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME, AND HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN 6 HOURS, ENGINE COOL. NO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS OR INDICATIONS THAT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM EXISTED. FIRE ORIGINATED BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE AIR INTAKE/AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORMAL FIRE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY FARMERS INSURANCE CONCLUDED THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN TO BE A "SHORTED PRIMARY WIRE" [BATTERY CABLE] RUNNING FROM THE POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY TO ENGINE GROUND. THE PRIMARY WIRE HAD FUSED ITSELF TO SIDE OF THE BATTERY TRAY. THE BATTERY CABLES HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AND WERE OEM NISSAN EQUIPMENT. WHILE FIRE WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED AND CONTAINED SOLELY WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THE VEHICLE WAS NONE THE LESS A TOTAL LOSS. I'M REPORTING THE INCIDENT TO BRING IT TO SOMEONE'S ATTENTION IN HOPES THAT A THOROUGH EXAMINATION CAN BE PERFORMED ON THIS TYPE OF FAILURE TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS.