DeKalb GA News

A fire broke out at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County on Thursday afternoon, leading to evacuation orders and the closure of State Route 1. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. at a battery storage facility managed by Vistra Energy, as reported by CBS News.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for areas south of Elkhorn Slough, north of Molera Road and Monterey Dunes Way, and west of Castroville Boulevard and Elkhorn Road to the ocean. Authorities advised residents nearby to close windows and doors, shut off air systems, and remain indoors to reduce exposure to potentially hazardous materials.

State Route 1 was closed by the California Highway Patrol at Salinas Road with no estimated time for reopening. Fire crews, EMS, and HAZMAT teams responded but allowed the fire to burn itself out due to its contained nature and absence of nearby flammable structures. The main concern now is air quality because of the smoke's chemical composition.

Vistra Energy confirmed that all site personnel were evacuated safely. "There is an ongoing fire at our Moss Landing Power Plant site," stated Vistra Energy in a release to KRON4. "Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel, and Vistra deeply appreciates the continued assistance of our local emergency responders."

The company mentioned that assistance was requested from the North Monterey County Fire District after detecting a fire in their 300-MW Phase I energy storage facility at Moss Landing. An investigation into the cause will commence once the fire is extinguished.