Fire breaks out at Moss Landing battery storage facility damaged in 2025; shelter-in-place issued
Firefighters responded to the Moss Landing Power Plant early Friday morning for a reported structure fire, according to CAL FIRE.
The North Monterey County Fire District was dispatched to the facility shortly after 6:15 a.m. Crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the facility’s north side.
The fire is burning inside an existing structure that was significantly damaged during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire. It involves batteries that were previously damaged during that incident.
Officials said the current fire is not comparable to the January 2025 fire in terms of scale or complexity. Based on current conditions, they anticipate the fire could burn itself out over the next 24 hours.
Officials said everyone working at the site has been accounted for and no injuries have been reported. The incident is being managed under a unified command that includes the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. The county’s Emergency Operations Center has also been activated.
Shelter-in-place warnings are in effect for areas near the fire. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring air quality in the area.
KSBW 8 contacted the EPA and Vistra Energy for additional information but had not received a response.
CAL FIRE also reported an impact to traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area and asked drivers to avoid the area and allow emergency crews access.
The California Highway Patrol said Dolan Road is under a hard closure between Highway 1 and Via Tanques Road. Highway 1 itself remains open, according to CHP.
The county’s emergency system lists Zone MRY-B050 under “Shelter in Place,” with the reason identified as the “Shelter-in-Place Moss Landing Power Plant Fire.”
The North Monterey County Unified School District said all schools would remain open Friday. However, a spokesperson for the North Monterey County Unified School District further clarified that all school sites are sheltering in place and everyone remains indoors.
The Moss Landing site includes large battery storage facilities. One of the facilities, operated by Vistra Energy, was the site of a major battery fire in January 2025. Cleanup efforts have continued since then.
Residents in the affected area are asked to:
• Remain indoors
• Close all doors and windows
• Turn off fans, air conditioners, and ventilation systems that bring outside air indoors
• Bring pets inside
• Avoid the affected area
• Keep roadways clear for emergency vehicles
• Continue monitoring official Monterey County alerts, as conditions may change.
Weather conditions
Winds are currently very light at the surface, with no wind reported at the nearest reliable station in Watsonville, where temperatures are around 60 degrees under sunny skies.
At 5,000 feet, winds are expected to remain consistent from the north-northeast throughout the day. Any smoke could be pushed toward the Monterey Peninsula.
Addemymber Dawn Addis stated on Friday about the ongoing fire, saying:
“I’m frustrated and deeply concerned by the repeat fire at Moss Landing. Early this morning I received initial briefings on the Moss Landing battery energy storage fire. Although initial cleanup and battery removal, under the supervision of the federal EPA, were completed two weeks ago, 1,500 hard-to-access batteries remain in the damaged area of the facility. This incident is ongoing, and we don’t yet know all details. I strongly ask surrounding communities to follow all safety instructions from emergency services.”
Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.