Evacuations Lifted for 1,000+ After Fire at California Battery Plant

Evacuations were lifted Friday evening for residents near a fire that broke out Thursday at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants, located in Moss Landing, California. The fire started Thursday night at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, roughly 25 miles south of Santa Cruz, with videos shared on social media showing thick smoke and flames engulfing the facility.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office reported that evacuation orders, which affected up to 1,500 people, were lifted by Friday evening. However, residents were advised to stay indoors to avoid potential exposure to toxic gases from the fire. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted air quality testing and confirmed that the air posed no immediate threat, according to a statement from the County of Monterey’s Department of Emergency Management.

Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church and California Assembly Member Dawn Addis expressed a desire to keep the plant offline until the cause of the fire could be determined. They both emphasized that allowing the fire to burn itself out was the safest approach. A spokesperson for the plant agreed with this assessment.

The Moss Landing Power Plant, owned by Texas-based Vistra Corp., is one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world, housing tens of thousands of lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are critical for storing energy from renewable sources, such as solar power, but can be challenging to extinguish once ignited. The plant, which began as a fossil fuel facility in 1950, now supports renewable energy storage. It can handle up to 400 megawatts of electricity, or 1,600 megawatt-hours, from renewable sources, which can be released to the California power grid as needed.

The North County Fire Protection District received reports of the fire around 3 p.m. Thursday. Chief Joel Mendoza stated that fire crews arrived to find smoke coming from the building, along with at least one battery on fire. However, within an hour of the initial response, the situation rapidly worsened. The plant’s fire suppression system, which had worked effectively in past incidents, was unable to control the blaze. As a result, the fire overwhelmed the building, leading to the evacuation of around 1,200 to 1,500 residents from approximately 7,600 acres of land.

Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported. By Friday, most of the fire had been extinguished, with minimal active flames remaining. The peak of the blaze occurred between 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday. There was no detection of hydrogen fluoride, the toxic gas commonly released when lithium-ion batteries burn, according to air quality monitors on the scene. However, officials cautioned that this conclusion was based on preliminary reports.

In a statement released Friday morning, the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience reassured the public that the fire posed no imminent significant threat. It advised sensitive groups, such as those with respiratory issues, to continue monitoring local air quality and recommended that residents keep doors and windows closed, particularly those living closest to the fire.

Supervisor Glenn Church described the incident as a "worst-case scenario" and a wake-up call for the renewable energy industry. He stressed the need for safe battery storage systems as the industry moves toward more sustainable energy solutions. Church also pointed out that this was the fourth fire at the Moss Landing site since 2019 and emphasized the importance of safety and environmental considerations in the transition to renewable energy.

Vistra Corp. acknowledged the incident, with Brad Watson, the company’s Director of Community Affairs, offering an apology. He expressed regret for the disruption caused to local residents and businesses and confirmed that the company had hired an outside consultant to monitor air quality in the area. Vistra also pledged to investigate the cause of the fire.

In response to the fire, the North Monterey County Unified School District closed all schools and offices on Friday. California State University Monterey Bay also canceled classes at its Moss Landing campus until further notice. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with officials promising accountability for the incident.