Structure Fire at Moss Landing Power Plant Shelter-in-Place Warnings in Effect; Highway 1 Traffic Impacted

Firefighters from the North Monterey County Fire District were dispatched to the Moss Landing Power Plant just 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.

Firefighters have confirmed that everyone working on the site is accounted for, with no injuries reported, and that the incident is being managed with a unified command.

The fire is occurring within an existing structure that sustained significant damage during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire and involves batteries that were previously damaged during that incident. The current incident is not comparable to the January 2025 fire in terms of its scale or complexity. Based on current conditions, officials anticipate the fire may burn itself out over the next 24 hours.

Shelter-in-place warnings are in effect for areas near the incident as a precaution. The North Monterey County School District has also issued shelter-in-place.

The County of Monterey Department of Emergency Management is activated and coordinating with multiple local, state, and federal agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has air monitors operating in the area. Fire personnel are also using drones to assess conditions and gather information.

Traffic on Highway 1 in the Moss Landing area is impacted. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and allow emergency crews access.

Notifications have been issued by the Monterey County Sheriff's Office and through Alert Monterey County. Residents should continue to monitor official emergency communications and follow all shelter-in-place instructions.

Officials are taking every precaution to protect the community and stabilize the incident. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. A media briefing may be held later this morning or early this afternoon. A unified command has been established with the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, and the County of Monterey's Emergency Operations Center is activated.