A new fire broke out Friday morning at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, California, igniting 1,500 previously damaged batteries inside a facility that suffered a massive lithium-ion blaze last year. The incident prompted mandatory shelter-in-place orders, road closures, and air-quality monitoring by federal environmental officials.
Morning Flare-Up Inside the Damaged Moss Landing Structure
Firefighters on California’s Central Coast responded to the Moss Landing Power Plant shortly after 6:15 a.m. Friday following reports of smoke and flames emerging from the north side of the facility. According to the North Monterey County Fire District, the blaze ignited within an existing structure that sustained heavy damage during a major battery fire in January 2025.
The California Highway Patrol traffic incident information website noted the fire first was reported at 6:19 a.m. as smoke billowed behind the power plant. Vistra Corporation, which operates the massive energy storage site, stated that its personnel identified a flare-up along the north wall of the Moss Landing 300 building at approximately 6 a.m.
Unlike the prolonged crisis of the previous year, local officials emphasized that the current situation is not comparable in scale or complexity. Division Chief Jess Cortez of North County Fire noted that response crews worked quickly to stabilize the area, stating that the incident remained hot and smoldering while holding the potential to decrease or continue.
Officials confirmed that everyone working on the site was accounted for and no injuries were reported under a unified command structure involving the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Shelter-in-Place Orders and Traffic Restrictions
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an immediate shelter-in-place order for nearby residents in zones MRY-B047, MRY-B050, and MRY-B053, covering an area within one-third of a mile of the facility at 7301 Highway 1. Residents inside the affected perimeter were directed to go indoors immediately, close all doors and windows, and shut off ventilation and air conditioning systems.
The California Highway Patrol implemented a hard closure of Dolan Road between Highway 1 and Via Tanques Road, while Highway 1 itself remained open to through traffic. Emergency management officials urged drivers to avoid the area entirely to ensure unobstructed access for emergency vehicles.
The nearby Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve announced it has closed for the duration of the incident. Meanwhile, the North Monterey County School District initially issued a shelter-in-place warning before lifting it after verifying that air-quality readings at local schools remained in the normal range.
Federal Oversight and the 2025 Cleanup Context
Friday’s flare-up occurred just weeks after federal regulators announced the final phase of remediation at the site. Following the January 16, 2025 fire—which involved a 300-megawatt system housing approximately 100,000 lithium-ion batteries and damaging about 55% of them—the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stepped in to oversee safety compliance and battery removal.
State and federal authorities had recently completed initial cleanup milestones, but 1,500 hard-to-access batteries remained within the damaged framework of the building. The EPA confirmed that its personnel are on the ground actively working alongside firefighters and local authorities while air quality monitors operate along the site’s perimeter.
Lawmakers Demand Answers Over Recurring Risks
Elected officials expressed deep frustration regarding the repeat incident at the Central Coast energy hub. Assemblymember Dawn Addis, who represents the region, issued a statement addressing the ongoing hazards tied to residual materials left inside the facility.
“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.”
Assemblymember Dawn Addis, California State Assembly
Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church echoed those concerns during an afternoon briefing, emphasizing that the repeat emergency highlights the volatility inherent in large-scale lithium storage. While acknowledging the growing necessity of efficient energy storage infrastructure, Church stressed that safety protocols must remain paramount as long-term investigations and cleanup operations proceed.