MOSS LANDING — Firefighters responded to a fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant on Friday morning involving batteries that were previously damaged during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire.
North Monterey County Fire District dispatched crews to the facility shortly after 6:15 a.m. for a reported structure fire. Crews arrived to find smoke and fire coming from the north side of the facility.
According to a statement issued on behalf of the North County Fire Protection District and the County of Monterey Emergency Operations Center, the fire is occurring inside an existing structure that sustained significant damage during the January 2025 incident.
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.
“The current incident is not comparable to the January 2025 fire in terms of its scale or complexity,” officials said in the statement.
Based on current conditions, officials anticipate the fire may burn itself out over the next 24 hours.
Shelter-in-place warnings issued
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued a shelter-in-place order for areas within one-third of a mile of 7301 Highway 1 as a precaution because of smoke and potential hazardous materials associated with the fire.
Residents in the affected area should go indoors immediately and remain inside until further notice. Officials are advising residents to close all windows and doors, turn off heating, air conditioning, fans and other systems that bring outside air indoors, and keep people and pets inside.
Residents are also being urged to avoid the area and not go outside to observe the fire or smoke.
North Monterey County School District has also issued a shelter-in-place order.
Emergency response continues
The County of Monterey Department of Emergency Management is activated and coordinating with local, state and federal agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has air monitors operating in the area, while fire personnel are using drones to assess conditions and gather information.
A unified command has been established with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, and the County of Monterey’s Emergency Operations Center is activated.
Traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area is impacted. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and allow emergency crews access.
The California Highway Patrol has implemented a hard closure of Dolan Road between Highway 1 and Via Tanques Road. Drivers in the affected area should leave if they can safely do so and follow instructions from emergency personnel.
Residents should continue to monitor official emergency communications and follow all shelter-in-place instructions.
Affected zones can be viewed at AlertMRY.org/Map. Additional information is available at AlertMRY.org/alerts.
This story has been updated with additional details.
